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New Events Highlight 156th Huron Community Fair

M ARK BIRDSALL A SSISTANT EDITOR

Those planning to attend the 2024 Huron Community Fair can expect all the fun, food and excitement they’ve come to expect, but one thing will be missing this year: dairy cattle.

Huron Community Fair Board President Clark Brock said the avian flu has been found in more than two dozen dairy cattle herds in Michigan, and that the absence of milking cows during this year’s fair is state-mandated.

“We don’t want to do it, but it’s what we need to do,” he said. Brock added that kids who planned to show their dairy cattle at the fair will still participate in activities and a milk sale will occur. Despite the absence of milking cows, there is a full slate of activities still on tap for the 156th Huron Community Fair, which will take place from Sunday, July 28 through Saturday, Aug. 3, including some new attractions, like Motorsport Racing on Tuesday, July 30, and the “Quack Pack” roaming the fairgrounds Tuesday through Friday. The Quack Pack consists of a border collie and handler herding goats and ducks around the grounds, adding to the fun of the fair.

“It’s the best place to be for a week this summer,” Brock said.

“Come on out and meet your neighbors.”

In addition to Elkton Lions Club bingo (starting Monday) and refreshments from the Bad Axe Lions Club concession stand during the week, the fun kicks off on Sunday, July 28, with harness racing at the

grandstands at 1 p.m., the 4-H horse show at 5 p.m. and 4-H talent show at 6 p.m. with free parking all day.

Monday, July 29, is highlighted by live music on the midway by the Vinny Charles Band at 7 p.m., the 4-H horse show and more harness racing at 1 p.m. and the sheep show at 3 p.m. Listen to live music on the midway throughout the week.

On Tuesday, July 30, the swine and rabbit shows get underway at 8:30 a.m. and rides and games on the midway open at 1 p.m. The drawing for kids bikes takes place outside the fair office at 5:30 p.m. Practice for the Motorsports event takes place at the grandstands from 4 to 6 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-11 and pit passes for $10. The big event on Wednesday, July 31 is the Bump-N-Run with demolition derby at the grandstands at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids. Don’t miss Goat Plop Bingo near the SLA Barn at 6 p.m. throughout the week. Scheurer Health Network is hosting a free senior citizens meal on Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. inside the Merchant Building. The prospect feeder and poultry shows start at 9 a.m., and the open-class horse show is at 1 p.m. Check out all 10 species of turtles found in Michigan at the “Meet the Grand Slam of Michigan Turtles” presentation, courtesy of Huron County Master Gardeners, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Midway rides and games open at 3 p.m.

On Thursday, Aug. 1, head to the grandstands at 7 p.m. for the Super Kicker Rodeo. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids. From 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, the fair is holding a special needs kids event near the grandstands. The goat show begins at 9 a.m., and the 4-H horse show is at 3 p.m. A chainsaw carver will be on the grounds throughout the week, and midway rides and games open at 3 p.m.

Everybody’s favorite fair event, the Redneck Truck Race, takes place at the grandstands on Friday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids. Also on Friday is the JLA auction sale at 9 a.m., and the JLA Buyers Luncheon, Gallon of Milk Sale and Friends of the Fair Recognition take place at noon. The SLA Sweepstakes is at 6 p.m., and midway rides and games open at 3 p.m.

The fair wraps up on Saturday, Aug. 3 with the Small Livestock Association auction at 9 a.m., the Antique Tractor Games at the grandstands infield at 9 a.m., the Antique Tractor Parade at 2 p.m., the JLA Sweepstakes Contest at 3 p.m., a drawing for kids bikes and toys in front of the fair office at 5:30 p.m. The day is topped off with the TTPA Tractor Pull at the grandstands at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids. Midway rides and games open at noon. Visit the fair website for more information and a complete 156th Huron Community Fair schedule, and check out the fair’s Facebook page.

Junior Livestock Association prepares for auction during the Huron Community Fair

SEVILLA STAFF WRITER

The Huron Community Fair and the Junior Livestock Association are getting ready for another successful year hosting the livestock auction on Friday Aug. 2, at 9 a.m. Junior Livestock Association President Clint Hagen is preparing for this year’s auction.

“A lot of time and effort goes into the livestock auction,”

Hagen said. “The Huron Community Fair Board and the Junior Livestock Association work together to put on the livestock show.”

The auction sees youth showcasing and selling livestock in four different categories in sheep, hogs, feeder steers and beef cattle. Youth from age 8 until a year after high school are allowed to participate.

Most of the proceeds from the auction

go right back to the kids, with the Junior Livestock Association getting a small percentage of the earnings to cover fees associated with keeping the livestock on the fairgrounds for the week. Additionally, funds that have been raised this way are used for improvements like new plumbing and a washing station on site.

“We even built an office and a storage

shed for the workers and volunteers,” Hagen said. “Just this last year we installed ventilation fans. It tends to get really hot during fair week and it can be hard on the animals.”

Hagen said that this auction allows them to educate the kids on not only the process of selling livestock, but also educate them on the agricultural side of livestock as well. The kids are usually preparing

for the auction well in advance through the winter and spring seasons leading up to fair week.

“You see a lot of smiling faces and a lot of kids nervous to go out there,” Hagen said. “You get to watch these kids grow and help them in case the animals get a little out of hand. I also get to see former kids who have gone to college and have come back and help just as they received

help back in the day.”

The auction runs until around noon, when it concludes with the Junior Livestock Association buyer’s luncheon and has its gallon of milk auction. For more information on the Junior Livestock Association and the Huron Community Fair and its upcoming events from July 2 to Aug. 3 visit www. huroncommunityfair. com.

DOMINIC

The Junior Livestock Association is preparing for its upcoming annual livestock auction. (Tribune File Photo)

Huron Community Fair’s 156th Annual Grandstand Events To Provide Fun To Community

The Huron Community Fair is back and better than ever for its 156th running. The grandstand events are expected to bring excitement to the community that will be showcasing their livestock, riding fair rides and enjoying plenty of fair food throughout the week.

Huron Community Fair Board

President Clark Brock said some of the events that will be taking place have been staples they’ve had for years.

“Our community thoroughly enjoys them,” he said.

“So, why would we change what the community is enjoying and wanting? That’s

where we’re at. We have great crowds, we have a great turnout. We get contacts from people asking for the same events again. So, that’s what we’re doing.”

In the grandstands, harness racing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, July 28. Horse racing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, July 29.

New this year will be motorsport racing, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30.

A Bump-N-Run demolition derby is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 31. The Super Kicker Rodeo is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1. Redneck truck races are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Aug 2, and the TTPA Tractor pull is

scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.

“If you follow the events every night, there’s a good chance that someone from Huron County is competing in it,” Brock said. “This is a chance to have a good time and watch your friend or neighbors participate in a lot of events.”

“We’re excited about another year coming,” he added.

“If the weather cooperates, we’ll have great grandstand events all week long.”

Also new this year will be USA Quack Pack, which features a border collie and handler showing off herding ability. There will also be local, musical entertainment each afternoon near the grandstands.

Thursday August 1 st at 7:00pm

TOM GREENE STAFF WRITER

Redneck Truck Race is a can’t-miss event.

I have a confession to make: I usually don’t look forward to the Huron Community Fair.

The newsroom staff has to work at night to cover the big grandstand events, it’s usually hot outside and it can be dusty and dirty. But then I actually go to the fair and always end up having a great time. It never fails. There are lots of fun, interesting and exciting things to see and do at the Huron Community Fair. Here’s a list of my top 5:

Redneck Truck Race

The first time I was assigned to cover the fair, I was lucky enough to go on a Friday night to take photos of something called, “The Redneck Truck Race.”

I wasn’t quite sure what it was. The name conjured images of some good ol’ boys circling the dirt track in their pickup trucks as they hooted and hollered like “The Dukes of Hazard.” Turns out it was even better than that.

I watched the race, featuring numerous recycled dump trucks and other heavy equipment, from the west end of the track, getting a good angle as the trucks made the turn to the grandstands. The crowd roared as the trucks got into largescale fender benders and tipped onto their sides in the turn. It was a blast. The

Midway Rides

When I was younger, I was obsessed with roller coasters and thrill rides like the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Zipper and bumper cars. There’s nothing like that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you plunge down the tracks of a roller coaster or crest the top of the double Ferris wheel. I was actually disappointed the first time I visited Disneyland because the rides were, in my opinion, lackluster compared to the panic-inducing attractions at Cedar Point. There’s no comparison. Though you won’t find the Corkscrew or Millennium Force on the midway at the Huron Community Fair, you get the next best thing and won’t spend a whole lot of time in the family minivan to get there. Midway rides will start scaring fairgoers on Tuesday, July 30.

Bingo

As a member of the Elkton Lions Club, I had the chance to volunteer in the bingo tent, and I’ll be there at least two days this year. If you’ve been walking around the fairgrounds for hours in the sun and need a break, there’s no better place than the bingo tent. The Lions have purchased new tables for this year, so stop by and take a load off. You could leave a few bucks richer, too.

Food

Lots of us are making a concerted effort to eat healthier, but the fair provides the excuse to indulge in corn dogs and elephant ears since it only takes place once a year. Deepfried Snickers bar? Go for it — it’s a special occasion. (It might be a good idea to eat after you go on the midway rides, not before.)

As usual, the Bad Axe Lions Club will be serving up burgers and other good stuff at the club’s concession stand. It’s a volunteer-driven endeavor, and as an associate member of the Bad Axe Lions, I’ll be helping out a night or two this year. The Lions are committed to serving good food at a price families can afford, and they’re proud of that, as they should be. Stop by for a treat and don’t forget to say, “Hi!”

Livestock Sales

It’s always nice to see kids when their hard work pays off, like it does at the fair’s annual livestock sales. I grew up in a big city, so seeing humongous animals like cattle up close is something of a novelty for me. But there are more than just cows. There are goats, rabbits, calves, pigs and poultry, too, along with the kids who spent countless hours raising and caring for them. Livestock sales take place over the last few days of the fair.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking —

“What about the demolition derby, the rodeo or the tractor pull?” This list is incomplete. There’s so much great stuff to see and do at the fair, it would be difficult to mention them here. Let us know what you like about the Huron Community Fair, and maybe send us a photo, while you’re at it. We’d love to hear from you.

Mark Birdsall is the assistant editor of the Huron Daily Tribune. Email him at mark.

What does it take to be a Huron Community Fair Exhibitor?

grounds.

Each year, the Huron Community Fair shows exhibits from members of the Huron County 4-H and FFA Clubs. Each member shows either livestock, food exhibits, quilts, or other things.

But what does it take to be a fair exhibitor?

Both Huron Community Fair

President Clark Brock and Huron County 4-H Program Coordinator

Patricia Errer said the exhibitors are mostly kids, ages 5 to one year past high school graduation.

”Our fair exhibitors are the kids of the community, for the most part,” Brock said. “Most of them are either 4-H or FFA students.”

”You can be in 4-H, FFA, or show as an independent,” Errer added.

As for the exhibits one can anticipate to see for the upcoming fair, Errer said there will be exhibits in several different area on the

”We’ll have large livestock, which is considered beef, sheep, hogs and lambs,” she said.

“There will also be prospect feeders, along with the steers, hogs and sheep. You can also show small livestock. That includes chickens, rabbits, turkeys, ducks, poultry and goats.”

”We have the 4-H Building, which has a lot of different projects,” she added.

“That includes crafts, corn, beets, food projects and recycled projects. We have a large area where our special needs participants show their exhibits, bringing projects to the fair.

The building also shows paintings and an array of different project areas.”

There will also be an adult division of projects, ranging from quilts, to paintings and similar projects that are shown by 4-H students. However,

there is a fee to participate.

”We also have 4-H Horse shows,” Errer said. “There would be a 4-H division, and open show divisions. There are also different classes that they participate and ride in.”

All entries for this year’s fair were due in June. However, next year’s registration will be here sooner, rather than later.

”Starting this year, we had an online place to register exhibits, called Fair Entry,” Brock said. “Our kids all do their registrations for their projects there. They’ve done that already. The deadline was the end of June.”

”So for next year, students can register from when this year’s fair is over until the end of June,” Brock added. “For some projects, like animals, they were registered in May.”

Errer added that all animal exhibits, except for horse exhibits, were due to be registered by May 15.

”We have open registration until June,” she said. “This includes 4-H building projects. This year, we moved into fair entry over the Internet, instead of paper.”

”We also have a large group of special needs students that participate, which is wonderful,” she added. “We’ve had a big increase last year, we have a large number of exhibits from them. A lot of 4-H clubs participate, which is a good thing.”

More information on registration, along with the Fair, can be seen by visiting the website at https://www. huroncommunityfair. com/

TOM GREENE STAFF WRITER

The 2021 Huron Community Fair kicked into high gear on Monday with harness racing, the rabbit show, KOI drag racing, the 4-H horse show, Elkton Lions Club bingo, the sheep show and a silent auction at the Merchant Building.

Gretchen Gentner, owner of the dairy cows awarded Grand Champion and Reserve Champion honors at the 2022 Huron Community Fair’s Junior Livestock Sale, will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale to the Shop with a Hero program. Above, Roberts Dairy Service and Weiss Equipment purchased one gallon of milk from the Grand Champion for $3,300.

Fairgoers enjoyed day three of the Huron County Fair on Aug. 1. Tuesday’s highlights included the Adult Beef Show in the Dennis M. Hagen Show and Sale Area, KIO drag racing in the Grandstands, and the ﬁrst day of the midway rides and games.

Fairgoers enjoyed Chase’s Racing Pigs, rides, animal exhibits and most notably, the demolition derby on Wednesday at the 2021 Huron Community Fair. (Teresa Homsi)

The Grand Champion Lamb at the 2022 Huron Community Fair Livestock sale was raised by Seth Schumacher of Animal Kingdom 4H and was purchased by Scott Krohn of Thumb Crop Insurance.

Support the Fair

I feel like a trip to the fair is just something you do every year.

Maybe it’s just the fact that for the past 15 years or so I’ve worked for a newspaper and part of our job has been to cover the fair. But it’s more than that, as I would usually attend at least one fair every year before I started getting paid to go.

The Huron Community Fair is fast approaching, and I encourage everyone to make a trip out to enjoy it this summer.

There’s a lot to love about the fair. From fair food to great rides and attractions to grandstand events, there’s always something to enjoy.

I love the rodeo, for one, and the folks from the Super Kicker Rodeo always put on a great show. I’ve seen them both here in Huron County and at other fairs in the past, and they are definitely entertaining.

I’m also a big fan of the bump and run, as the best thing about racing is the crashes, and during a bump and run crashes are supposed to happen.

It’s always worth a stroll through the animal barns as well. And I love checking out the different exhibits that kids and adults put on display. I am particularly fond of anything involving Legos, as that was one of my favorite pastimes when I was younger — I always enjoy seeing what the kids have come up with and put on display at the fair.

Most of all there is a sense of community at the fair. All the drama of the outside world, the elections, the problems, all seem to go away when you enter the gate at the fairgrounds. Instead it’s all abouy enjoying all the great things your community has to offer.

I encourage everyone, if you go every year or you’ve never gone, take a trip out to the Huron Community Fair this year. Our fair has a lot to offer in a nice and conveniently sized package.

It’s a great place for people of all ages to enjoy. The youth say there’s nothing to do in Huron County? There’s plenty to do during fair week. So stop out, have some fun, and enjoy the Huron Community Fair.

Eric Young

ERIC YOUNG EDITOR

•

SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2024

FRIDAY, AUG. 2, 2024

Sponsored by Thumb Bank & Trust and J. W Hunt

• 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Gate Fee $5 per person, 10 years and younger free admission.

• 9 a.m.- JLA Auction Sale: Dennis M. Hagen Show & Sale Arena.

Buyers Parking in the Expo Parking Lot.

*Sale order: Sheep, Swine, Prospect Feeders, Market Beef.

Fun Open Class Horse Show - Time to be determined.

Contact Peggy Lloyd for more information (989) 670-9933

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. -Merchant Building Open.

Daily -New Entertainment on the grounds- USA Quack Pack. Border Collie and handler shows off herding ability- various times each day

• Noon- JLA Buyers Luncheon, Gallon of Milk Sale and Friends of the Fair Recognition.

• Noon to 9 p.m. -Miracle of Life open sponsored by Huron County Farm Bureau.

• Chainsaw carving- sponsored by Brandyn K. Lawson, AAMS, of Edward Jones Investments.

• 3 p.m. -Midway Opens, Rides-Food & Games!

• 4 to 7 p.m.- Live Music on the Midway- The Humbuckers -Sponsored by Jahn- Farm Bureau Insurance-Harbor Beach & Countryside Transportation Service.

3 to 10 p.m. -Elkton Lions Bingo- Tent on the Midway

6 p.m. -Goat Plop Bingo- Near SLA Barn.

6 p.m. – SLA Sweepstakes in the Dennis M. Hagen Sale & Show Arena.

7 p.m. -Redneck Truck Race- Grandstand Event: Admission $10 for adults; $5 for kids (ages 6-11). Sponsored by the Cooperative Elevator Co.

SATURDAY,

AUG. 3, 2024

Sponsored by: Mid-Michigan & Huron County Early Middle College.

8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Gate Fee: $5 per person, 10 years and younger free admission.

9 a.m. -Small Livestock Association Auction in the Dennis M. Hagen Show & Sale Arena.

• *Sale Order: Crafts, Rabbits, Goats, Poultry

• 9 a.m. -Antique Tractor Games in the Grandstands infield. Contact Kevin Burk (989) 553-0380 for more information.

• Noon -Midway Opens Rides, Food & Games!

• 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. -Merchant Building open.

Noon to 9 p.m. -Miracle of Life Building open- Sponsored by Huron County Farm Bureau. Daily -New Entertainment on the grounds-The Quack Pack. Border Collie and handler shows off herding ability- various times each day

2 p.m.-Antique Tractor Parade. Tractors will parade around the fairgrounds. For more information contact Kevin Burk (989) 553-0380.

• 3 p.m. -JLA Sweepstakes Contest- Dennis M. Hagen Show & Sale Arena.

• 4 to 7 p.m. Live music on the midway- The XoXos - Sponsored by Jahn- Farm Bureau Insurance Harbor Beach & Countryside Transportation Service.

• 5:30 p.m. -Kids Drawing-Free Bikes, Toys- in front of the fair office.

• 6 p.m. Goat Plop Bingo -Near the SLA Barn.

6 p.m. -TTPA Tractor Pull-Grandstand Event sponsored by Tri-County Equipmentadmission $10 for adults; $5 for kids (ages 6-11).

8-9 p.m. -Release of 4-H Building projects.

9:30 -SLA Barn closed briefly

10 p.m. -Release of Open Class animals.

• 10 p.m. -Release of JLA and SLA animals.