County fair opens next week
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Activities for the 2019 Ringgold County Fair will open Wednesday, July 10 and conclude Sunday, July 14.
(A special section in this week’s Mount Ayr Record-News and Diagonal Progress will highlight many of the fair exhibitors, contest schedules and entertainment options for this year’s fair.)
Official Fair Books that contain more detailed information are available at the Extension Office in Mount Ayr.
As in past years, wristbands will be available for all 4-H, Clover Kid and FFA members for admission to all entertainment events. These will cost $10 and be available on the first day of the fair at the 4-H office.
Activity at the fairgrounds actually will begin Tuesday, July 9 as 4-H clubs began setting up their booths.
Wednesday, July 10
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the open class exhibits will be set up in the Commercial Building.
4-H Exhibit Building project judging will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
4-H State Fair Selection will run from 2-4 p.m. (Only Extension staff, select 4-H volunteers and judges are permitted in the Exhibit Building during this time.)
One change this year affects the staging area for the Fair parade. In years past parade participants staged in the high school parking lot. However, this year the Mount Ayr Raiderette softball team will host a regional tournament game at 7 p.m., so the parking lot is expected to be filled to capacity.
This year the parade will line up in the south parking lot at the Ringgold County Hospital and at 6 p.m. proceed to the fair grounds, entering through the main gate and exiting through the north gate.
The South Central Iowa Community Foundation will announce grant recipients at 6:45 p.m.
Evening entertainment will be the annual Ringgold County Fair queen and princess contest and Bill Riley Talent Show, beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 with youth 5-and-under free.
Once again, the regional softball tournament will affect the queen coronation ceremony. Traditionally, the queen from the previous fair is present to crown the queen of the current fair. The 2018 queen, Caroline McAlexander, is a stand-out pitcher and hitter for the Raiderette softball team, so it is unlikely she will available to participant in the coronation ceremony. If she is unable to attend, the 2018 queen runner-up, Emily Newton, will crown the incoming 2019 queen.
A “Movie Night” is sponsored by the 4-H County Council will begin at 9 p.m. in the 4-H Exhibit Building.
Thursday, July 11
Thursday activity begins at 8 a.m. with the 4-H/FFA swine weigh-in and stalling.
4-H/FFA sheep and meat goat weigh-in follows at 9 a.m.
4-H/FFA beef weigh-in begins at 10 a.m.
Senior games will get underway at 10 a.m. in the Commercial Building.
Also at 10 a.m., an obstacle course will be sponsored by the 4-H County Council.
4-H/FFA horse, rabbits and poultry will check in at 11 a.m.
At noon the 4-H communications projects, including educational presentations, working exhibits and Share-the-Fun entries, will be judged.
The first livestock show of the fair is the 4-H/FFA rabbit show, which will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The 4-H/FFA poultry show will follow at 2 p.m.
Ringgold County Supportive Services will host games in the Commercial Building at 2 p.m.
The 4-H county council will sponsor rock painting at 2 p.m.
“Let Your Voices Be Heard,” a political forum event, will run from 3:30 – 7:45 p.m. in the Commercial Building.
At 4 p.m. the Livestock Skill-a-Thon will be held in the Show Arena.
Photos of the outstanding juniors, entries considered for state fair and state fair qualifiers will be taken at 5:30 p.m. in the Exhibit Building.
The Ringgold County Fair Cowgirl Queen and Princess contest will get underway at 6 p.m.
Mutton bustin’ will start at 7 p.m. followed by the rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Admission for the rodeo is $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6-12 with kids 5-and-under admitted free.
Friday, July 12
The 4-H/FFA swine show will get underway at 8 a.m.
Inflatable attractions for the kids will be available from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
At 10 a.m. the 4-H/FFA goat show gets underway.
The Klobnack Family will entertain in the Commercial Building starting at 11 a.m.
The 4-H/FFA sheep show will start at 12 p.m.
Conference judging of 4-H/FFA bucket calves/bucket calves-plus-one will be held at 1 p.m. at the 4-H office.
A rock finding hunt sponsored by the 4-H County Council will run all day.
Registration for the Myers Pedal Pull will begin at 1 p.m. with competition to begin at 1:30 p.m,
More games for all ages sponsored by the 4-H county council will begin at 2 p.m.
Make-It Take-It will run from 3-5 p.m. in the 4-H Building.
Registration for the “bags” tournament will open at 5 p.m. with competition to begin at 6 p.m.
At 5 p.m. the 4-H/FFA horse show will begin.
A new addition to the Fair this year is a BBQ contest. Smokers are invited to arrive at the fairgrounds beginning at 5 p.m.
The evening’s entertainment is the demo derby and lawn mower derby at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6-12 with kids 5-and-under admitted free.
Following the demo derby, a fireworks display will conclude the evening’s activities.
Saturday, July 13
Another big day of activity gets underway with the County Council pancake breakfast fund-raiser from 6 to 9 a.m.
Entries in the “Best Cupcake” contest are due at the Commercial Building between 8:30-9:30 a.m.
The 4-H/FFA feeder calf show will be held at 9 a.m. with calves to be released after the show.
At 9 a.m. registration opens for the baby contest with competition to begin at 10 a.m. in the Commercial Building.
Check-in for the 4-H Challenge Recipe contest will open at 9 a.m. in the Exhibit Building with judging to begin at 10 a.m.
The 4-H/FFA breeding beef show gets underway at 9:30 a.m. or immediately following the feeder calf show.
Inflatable attractions for the kids will again be available from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Silly Sally, a balloon artist, makes her appearance at 11 a.m. in the Commercial Building.
The 4-H/FFA bucket calf/bucket calf-plus-one show will be held beginning at 11:30 a.m. or immediately following the breeding beef show.
The Pee Wee Wrangler show, where youth younger than 4-H age dress up to show their calves, will be held at 12 noon.
A robotics demonstration will take place in the Commercial Building at 1 p.m.
The 4-H/FFA market beef show also gets started at 1 p.m.
Kids contests will be held at 2 p.m. in the Commercial Building.
At 3 p.m., the 4-H County Council will sponsor water activities.
Make-It Take-It will run from 3-5 p.m. in the 4-H Building.
Registration for the Future 4-Her pet show opens at 4:15 p.m. with the show to get underway at 4:30 p.m.
A public supper featuring entries from the BBQ contest will begin at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for ages 12 and older and $5 for youth 11-and-under.
The “Young Showman” livestock show will get started at 5:30 p.m.
The evening’s entertainment is the truck and tractor pull beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission for the pull is $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6-12 with kids 5-and-under admitted free.
Sunday, July 14
Activity on Sunday begins at 5 a.m. with release of all 4-H/FFA animals not available for the sale.
All 4-H exhibits will be released at 9 a.m.
The tearing down of booths in the Commercial Building will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
Open class exhibits will be released from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Commercial Building.
The 4-H youth pie baking contest entries are due at the 4-H Office by 11 a.m.
The fair will conclude with Fair Lunch at 12:30 p.m. sponsored by Farm Bureau followed by the 4-H/FFA premium sale at 2 p.m.
