2023 Fair Preview

HARNESS R ACING

TALENT SHO W

KOI DR AG R ACING

SUPER KICKER R ODEO

TR AC TOR PULL

REDNECK TR UCK R ACES & M O R E !!!

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT E VERY AFTERNOON STARTING MONDAY COME SEE ALL ANIM ALS !

Huron Community Fair adding music on the midway in 2023

M ARK BIRDSALL A SSISTANT EDITOR

The Huron Community Fair has something new in store for fairgoers in 2023: Music, lots of music. And by area bands, too.

The fair, which runs from Sunday, July 30 through Saturday, Aug. 5, will feature live music from local talent on the midway starting

Monday.

Fair Board President Clark Brock said last year’s fair went “very well,” and this year, organizers are excited to bring musical acts including Ora Labora, Huron Out, Bird Creek Station, LoraDale, Kenny Lang, and the Spring Street Boys. Music on the midway will take place in the afternoon and is sponsored by Casey Jahn Farm Bureau Insurance “(We’re) always hoping to do something bigger and better,” Brock said. Something else new that fairgoers can enjoy this year is the chance to test drive mini-equipment like backhoes, courtesy of AIS Construction Equipment, near the Miracle of Life Building.

Other fun things to enjoy: chain saw carving on the midway, courtesy of Kevin and Shelly Langely, carnival rides and games, Elkton Lions Club Bingo, and the annual tractor parade around the fairgrounds on the final day of the fair.

There will be the usual grandstand events like KOI Drag Racing, Bump-and-Run Demolition Derby, harness horse racing, the TTPA Tractor Pull, The Super Kicker Rodeo featuring an intermission musical performance by country and western artist Dwayne Spaw, and everybody’s favorite: the Redneck Truck Race.

Of course, kids with their exhibits, livestock and traditional fair foods are at the heart of the fair. And don’t forget about Goat Flop Bingo. The fair has been “celebrating agriculture, youth and community spirit” since 1868. Since the pandemic forced the cancellation of the fair in 2020, this year’s fair is the 154th.

For a complete list of events and times, visit the Huron Community Fair website.

Thursday August 3rd at 7:30pm

Everybody’s favorite Huron Community Fair attraction, the Redneck Truck Race, will be thrilling fairgoers on Friday, Aug. 4 at the Grandstand.

The Huron Community Fair returns on Sunday, July 30. Midway rides open at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1.

TJ Schmidt and Co. continues to bring family fun to Huron Community Fair

SHAWN ROBINSON STAFF WRITER

Every summer at the end of July, the Huron County community, residents, and visitors come and enjoy the community fair. But they’re not the only ones excited for fair week.

TJ Schmidt and Co. has played a vital role in the fair for many years. Since 2012, the company has helped provide games, food, and rides for the whole family to enjoy.

“We try to bring a package of rides, food, and games that appeal to everyone in the family so there’s something for mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, the little tikes, and teenagers alike,” Booking and Human Resouces Director at TJ Schmidt and Co.

Doug Burtch said.

“We always strive to put a ride package together that has something for the entire family, young and old.”

The company goes to many different communities in the state throughout the year from April to October, providing fun entertainment for families. With 100plus employees and his family, Burtch and his team become short-term residents of Bad Axe, and it’s something they look forward to each and every year.

“We look forward to seeing businesses in the community and community members year after year,” Burtch said. “We look forward to certain restaurants. We try to become temporary residents of the communities we are in each week and try to buy locally. We try

to keep it local and do as much business while we’re in the community to support the community we are serving. We look forward to each stop from April to October.”

“We’re always on site, so we travel right with the equipment, from April until October,” Burtch said. “Every community is a little different, but certainly with Huron County there’s a strong emphasis on agriculture and the lineage of families in the agricultural industry, which is what our county fairs are all about. We always look forward to partnering with Huron County for their strong sense of the history of the fair industry to begin with.”

The carnival company does a lot when it comes to fair week here in Bad Axe. As the neighboring Tuscola County wraps up its fair week, Burtch and his team travel down M-53 to Huron County to get prepared for the community fair.

In total, it takes the team about 14 to 18 hours to set everything up, and at the end of the week, tear it all down in five hours to travel to Ludington.

“The part that doesn’t get old is the expression on people’s faces when they come to what was 24 hours ago an open field, and we’ve basically set up a miniature theme park,” Burtch said.

“And then that same expression after we tear it all down throughout the night and they wake up the next morning and it’s all gone. It’s

a fascinating part of what we do.”

Burtch applauds the Huron Community Fair Board for the work it does each and every year, as it not only makes his job easier, but allows the community to get a full sense of the fair and everything it has to offer.

“The fair board is consistent there, they’ve had very little change in board membership and consistency translates to very strong leadership,” Burtch said. “They run like a well-oiled machine, which makes my job easier. In addition, Clark Brock and the members of the board communicate with me throughout the offseason if they’re going to make any changes to the grounds, or the layout of the grounds. There’s that two-way communication just not the week of the fair, but throughout the year that really helps to make everything at the fair for all the patrons and guests work like a well-oiled machine.”

always the main draw of fair week

year we’re going to have roughly 169 goats.”

The Huron Community Fair is always an eagerly anticipated event that is always greatly looked forward to by its community.

Drawing hundreds of people from across the county, people flock to the fairgrounds to immerse themselves in the diverse range of events and activities the fair has to offer. However, the event that has always drawn the largest crowds at the fair, by far, are the 4-H auction shows.

This year’s auction audience can expect even more animals at the shows compared to previous years.

Small Livestock Association President

Al Kuhn says this year will be an alltime high for the number of kids registered — roughly 230.

“We’ve been growing every year,” Kuhn said. “Every year it seems to be 20 to 30 more kids on. One thing that’s really grown, last year we had approximately 138 goats and this

Kuhn says the goat shows are typically the most popular SLA event, drawing large crowds year after year.

Coming back this year, the SLA will continue its Goat Plop Bingo Raffle event. Every evening at 6 p.m. from Wednesday Aug. 2 to Saturday Aug. 5, SLA will be giving away $300 to raffle ticket winners. The money from this fundraiser will also go toward its scholarship program as well as towards the SLA’s building funds.

Kuhn says last year SLA received its highest dollar amount from the auction. This year, with the record number of animals, he says he expects it to be even higher.

“Without our buyers, our community support that loves to support these kids, it wouldn’t be able to happen,” Kuhn said.

The Junior Livestock Association is equally enthusiastic, gearing up for a large turnout of participants and supporters this year.

Clint Hagen, one

of the market beef superintendents, says the group currently has 383 registered animals “Our attendance was great,” Hagen said. “Coming out of COVID now, with our third year back, it’s just nice to see our numbers continually grow as far as the number of participants as well as the amount of buyers.”

Hagen also said that fairgoers will be able to enjoy some of the new upgrades the facility received this year, including the new washing facility, where kids will be able to wash more animals at the same time compared to years past.

Hagen says the JLA has been working at the facilities since April, donating their time and services towards getting things ready on time for the fair.

“We’ve got great community support and the kids and our group are just so very thankful for the support,” Hagen said.

“It makes all of our hard work all summer long prepping for this worth it.”

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.

R ENAE K ING STAFF WRITER

155th Huron Community Fair Grandstand events provide excitement

people come out for that. It’s a grudge-match for short track drag racing.”

The Huron Community Fair is back and better than ever for its 155th 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 30. Horse racing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, July 31. KOI participants will have a practice run from 5-7 p.m, with drag racing scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1. “We will have four-wheelers, side-by-sides, pick-ups, and other vehicles,” Brock said. “A lot of local

A Bump-N-Run demolition derby is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2. The Super Kicker Rodeo is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3.

Brock mentioned that this year’s Rodeo will feature country singer Dewayne Spaw.

“Dewayne will be there prior to performing,” he said. “They have a couple intermissions that he does. He will be there as part of that.”

Redneck truck races are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Aug 4, and the TTPA Tractor pull is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.

“If you follow the events every night, there’s a good chance that someone from Huron County is competing in it,” Brock said. “We like having those types of events that provide entertainment. Come on out. Root for your neighbors, root for your classmates, or even against them.”

“We’re excited about another year coming,” he added. “We’ve done work in the infield, so that’s in great shape now. Our pulling track is in great shape for those activities. If the weather cooperates, we’ll have great grandstand events all week long.”

TOM GREENE STAFF WRITER

The 2023 Huron Community Fair will feature harness racing, bingo, a talent show and the crowning of the Bean Queen Sunday, July 30. (Photo from the 2022 Fair)

How the Huron Community Fair Board brings the fair every year

The Huron Community Fair happens once a year and offers a week full of live entertainment, from rodeos to derby racing, as well as welcoming many different agriculture and livestock projects put together by kids across the county. But how does this all come together each year?

The Huron Community Fair organization is a non-profit group that is made up of a board of directors and a group of voting members. Throughout the year, members of the board are tasked with organizing and gathering funds, volunteers, or vendors in preparation for the fair week.

“The fair board does the complete operations of the fair,” said Clark Brock, board president of the Huron Community Fair. “That includes the grandstand and putting the events on, putting the fair together, fairgrounds improvement, maintenance, and daily operations of the grounds. Basically all aspects of the fair.”

Every November, the board has three members up for election and members of the Huron Community Fair organization vote on the members. To be eligible to vote, community members purchase shares with the organization and are eligible to vote during the fair’s annual meeting.

The board members are acting on a volunteer basis though there is a small stipend for attending the monthly meetings. During

these meetings, board members are tasked with projects that relate to anything from bringing in vendors to reaching out for grants to help with different projects.

“I handle the merchants building, so whenever someone wants to be a vendor at the fair they talk to me,” said Stacy Hagen, board member for the Huron Community Fair. “I handle the contract with them to be a vendor. I set them up with a space and check in with them all week. I work on our online space with our Facebook page and our website, and I also round up sponsors — most of us round up sponsors — and corporate sponsorships of the days of our fair.”

The board also focuses on the maintenance and grounds upkeep, which board member Chad Gilbert helps to organize people for.

“The week of the fair I deal a lot with the people who deal with our bathrooms, and I appreciate them greatly,” said Gilbert.

In addition to that, Gilbert also works alongside the Junior Livestock Association in helping make sure it is organized and ready for the big sale day on Friday.

With all of the time that goes into getting together sponsors, volunteers, and funds for this week-long event, the board works year-round in monthly meetings to make sure it is ready to go for the next fair.

“We’re very fortunate that we have a community that is extremely supportive,” said Brock. “When the community is supportive

and is willing to sponsor things and be involved in that, the finances get a little bit easier. Really, the biggest challenge is the time management thing of all the work that has to be done and how much time you need to allocate to get those things taken care of.”

One focus that board members have is on making the fair a place for kids and families, which is why board members like Gilbert got involved in the board in the first place.

“I started participating in the fair when I was 3 or 4 years old,” said Gilbert. “It’s a part of my life and a big part of my kid’s life.”

For Brock and the members of the board, it is all for putting together a week-long event that brings together families throughout the county, especially for the kids.

“Our fair is designed to be family oriented and a family fun fair,” said Brock. “When we have well over 400 kids that participate with projects at the fair in a county this size I think it’s pretty outstanding.”

“I think its all worth it when you spend all week there and see the relationships that the kids get to make with each other,” said Hagen. “They (go to) different schools and they live in different parts of our county, yet they come together for that week and they make friendships. My kids have been able to make friendships with kids from other schools and then they connect all year long.”

“When you see a couple of eight to 10-year-old kids having the time of their life, it’s something to watch,” said Gilbert. This year’s fair takes place from July 30 through Aug. 5 with the full schedule of events available online at huroncommunityfair.com and more information can be found on its Facebook page. The Huron Community Fair can also be contacted by calling 989-269-7542.

DOMINIC SEVILLA STAFF WRITER

The Huron Community Fair Board works year-round to bring the week-long fair to Huron County. (Tribune File Photo)

TUESDAY,

1, 2023 KIDS DAY!

•

THURSDAY, AUG. 3, 2023

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

• 7:30 p.m. -Super Kicker Rodeo - Sponsored by Bay Por t State Bank & Agri-Valley Communications Admission $10 for adults; $5 for k ids (ages 6-11).

FRIDAY, AUG. 4, 2023

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 Auc tion Sale: Dennis M. Hagen Show & Sale Arena.

Buyers Park ing in Expo Park ing Lot

*Sale order: Market Beef, Sheep, Hogs, Feeders

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

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

• Noon to 9 p.m. -Miracle of Life - Sponsored by Huron County Farm Bureau ALL WEEK - Operate mini equipment near Miracle of Life Building Sponsored by AIS Equipment Live music on the midway- Kenny Lang

Sponsored by Casey Jahn- Farm Bureau Insurance

AUG. 5,