County fair kicks off next week

It’s fair time in Alfalfa County.

The months of preparation with show animals, the weeks of perfecting favorite recipes, the days of carefully trimming and watering the flowers and the hours of sewing all lead up to this moment.

The Alfalfa County Fair will take place September 2 through September 5 this year with a few modifications to address Covid-19 concerns. The main change that fair-goers will see is the early opening of the Exhibit Building at the Alfalfa County Fairgrounds. This will allow the public to drop off fair entries early to avoid the crowds and to social distance.

The Exhibit Building will be open for drop-offs:

• 2-5:30 p.m, Thursday, August 27

• 2-5:30 p.m., Friday, August 28.

• 2-5:30 p.m., Monday, August 31.

• 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, September 1.

There will be fair tags available and someone to assist with drop-off. Regular drop-off hours until noon for Open Class & 4-H exhibits on Wednesday, September 2 will continue as usual.

The Alfalfa County Fair will also be offering two new contests this year – a Decorated Door Hanging Contest and a return of an old favorite, an Apple Peeling Contest.

Entries for the Decorated Door Hanging contest may be dropped off early or by noon on September 2.

Participants for the Apple Peeling Contest should register by 1:15 p.m. Thursday, September 3, with the contest to follow at 1:30 p.m. Come out and enjoy these fun new contests.

The apples will be provided.

Tuesday, Sept. 1

Set up for the commercia booths, OHCE booths backgrounds and compile department books and awards will be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., Sept. 3, with a superintendents and assistants meeting at 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 2

The first day of the fair is set for Sept. 2. As always, the fair will be held at the Alfalfa County Fairgrounds.

The day begins at 7:30 a.m. when exhibitors can enter the 4-H, OHCE, open class exhibits, biggest garden products, painted rock and decorated hat contest.

Livestock will need to be in place by 8 a.m. The weighing and checking in of animals will begin at 9 a.m. with the weigh-in of swine, sheep, steers and goats.

At that same time the heifers will have their papers checked, pre-entry for the horse show and the poultry, fowl and rabbits will be checked in.

From 9-11 a.m. sign up for showmanship will take place in the indoor arena

At 10 a.m. OHCE entries will close and the judging will take place at 10:30 a.m.

Also at 10 a.m. will be the time for those who show bucket calves to check their calves in.

Livestock entries close at 10 a.m. and at noon 4-H, open class, painted rocks and decorated hat entries will close.

Judging for all exhibits will be at 1 p.m.

The judging of OHCE booths will begin at 3 p.m.

The youngsters competing in the bucket calf show will show their calves at 5 p.m.

The first day will conclude at 6 p.m. with the heifer and steer show.

Thursday, Sept. 3

The second day of the fair will begin at 9 a.m. with the swine show.

The sheep show will begin at 11 a.m.

At 1:15 p.m. the apple peeling contest entries will open with the contest at 1:30 p.m.

The goat show will be held at 2 p.m.  the pedal tractor pulling contest will be at 3 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 4

The third day of the fair will be the 4-H and FFA livestock judging contest. Students will have the opportunity to show off their judging skills and back them up by giving their reasons why. The contest will begin at 8 a.m.

From 10 a.m. until noon the open class and OHCE evaluation will be going on.

At 12 p.m. all exhibits and commercial booths will be released.

Saturday, Sept. 5

The final event of the fair will be the horse show which is 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Those entering must pre-enter.

The Alfalfa County Fairgrounds are located in Cherokee at 602 West 5th Street. To get there from Grand Avenue, turn west on 5th Street and then proceed several blocks.