Work finished, Adams County Fair underway

OTHELLO – With all of the preparations finished, the Adams County Fair opened yesterday, and there is still a lot to see and enjoy for late-comers.

The fair will close Saturday night, after what is usually its biggest day. The last day will kick off in downtown Othello, with bed and wheelbarrow races at 9 a.m. and the Adams County Fair Parade at 10 a.m.

“Saturday evening gets quite wild with lots of folks coming to the carnival,” Fair Board member Dave Sperl said.

Volunteers have worked every day since Sept. 1 preparing the fairgrounds for the big show. The 15 members of the fair board and about 20 other volunteers will be on hand throughout fair time to assure that things run smoothly.

“The pre-fair work consists of volunteers putting up tents, cleaning out winter trash, cleaning bathrooms and marking out vendor spaces,” Sperl said.

According to Sperl, it takes about 10 days each year to get ready for the fair. There is work each day by a few volunteers and then evening work by a greater number of volunteers.

During the run of the fair, the volunteers include superintendents for horses, beef, hogs, sheep, poultry, rabbits, and goats and superintendents for the exhibit buildings.

“A lot of the clean-up is done on Sunday after the fair is over, but Monday is also a big day and into Tuesday evening perhaps,” Sperl said.

Then the planning starts for the next fair.

Admission to the Adams County Fair will be $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and youths (7-11), and children 6 and under will enter free of charge. Admission for the run of the fair will be $21 for adults, $15 for youths and seniors, and children 6 and under will enter free of charge.

Davis Shows will provide the carnival. All-day tickets will cost $21 before the fair. They will cost $26 at the fair.

Publicist Val Watson noted there are new features at the fair. One is a selfies area that features characters from the Looney Tunes Days.

“It will be so much fun to come and take a picture or selfie with the cut-out face on the cartoon character,” Watson said.

The Adams County Fair will have a new food booth for you to try. One of its features will be deep-fried mac ‘n cheese.

The Adams County Fair has acquired a new ticket booth and dressing room/storage unit from Old Hickory Barns.

New entertainment this year will be Cale Moon. The Nashville recording artist will perform Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Making a comeback will be Predators of the Heart. They were brought back by popular demand.

The Friday night Draft Horse Pull will start at 5 p.m. The Sequins & Spurs Drill Team will perform on Friday night at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Dusty Roller Clinic will be back to the Fair at 1 p.m.

“The horse pull is interesting to some folks, and this year we have a wild animal program, which is very popular,” Sperl said.

Additional entertainment will be one man band Eric Haines, Adam the Great, Frank Rendon/Mutton Bustin’, Mechanical Bull and Lanky the Clown.

“Don’t forget that old favorite, the Pie Eating Contest, and the Diaper Derby,” Watson said.

New this year will be a Sawhorse Contest at the poultry barn. You may want to be a part of that. Just ask.

The theme of the fair is “Boots, Chaps and Cowboy Hats.” You are encouraged to come attired accordingly.