Before the Fair 2021 by Hearst Midwest

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Before The Fair | 2021

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2021 | Before The Fair

'Everyone’s hungry to get started': Mecosta County Fair is coming soon Gena Harris gena.harris@hearst.com As the summer is underway, carnivals and fairs are coming soon. Some things you can expect from the Mecosta County Free Fair are amusement park rides, concession vendors, and a petting farm. John Currie is the fair director and he said things are shaping up smoothly for the fair. “Everything is going very well, animal numbers are set for the junior livestock sale, numbers are down a little bit

but not too bad. The carnival is all set to go, vendors are ready to go. Everyone’s hungry to get started.” He said if the fair is anything like the Start of the Summer Fair, back on Memorial Day weekend, they’re expecting a full house. Currie said the health department will have a mobile vaccination clinic at the fair, for a minimum of two days. He said this gives people the opportunity to get vaccinated for those who are interested. As far as COVID restrictions, Currie is

following state guidelines of outdoor events that do not require masks but masks are recommended for individuals not fully vaccinated at larger gatherings. Planning to go? Here’s a list of main events. • Harness racing at 6:30 p.m. July 12, 13 • Horse Pull at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 14 • Rodeo at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 15 • Truck and Tractor Pull at 7 p.m. Friday, July 16 • Demolition Derby at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 17

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Before The Fair | 2021

Flashbacks of the fair After a one-year absence, and in preparation of the 2021 edition, the Pioneer searched through its archives for some of the best fair memories over the last two decades. We found hundreds of photos, ranging from children showing their animals; to folks enjoy carnival rides and shows at the midway; and much, much more. Will you be attending this year’s fair? If so, we’ll see you there.

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Before The Fair | 2021

Mecosta County Fair carnival to 'premier a bigger Midway' Gena Harris gena.harris@hearst.com Festivals and carnivals are back this summer, a year after COVID-19 wiped the slate clean. And just a month away, the Mecosta County Free Fair will be here for family and friends to enjoy. This year’s fair fun will be supplied by the Skerbeck Family Carnival. It will run Monday through Saturday at the Mecosta County Fairgrounds.

Community members are excited to have summer fun and a sense of normalcy ... is entering the lives of many Michiganders. Carley Skerbeck, who is on the management team at Skerbeck Family Carnival, said they are happy to put smiles on many faces after a tough year. “It’ll be great to come back to the community and see some of those familiar faces that we know from the fair in July. We are looking to premier a bigger

Midway than when we were there for the Start of the Summer. ” Skerbeck said you can expect a variety of new equipment and activities like the new Zero Gravity, which uses centrical force to push riders back onto the wall as it rotates, and kiddie rides the Tractors. The fair offers free admissions for all but if one wants to partake in Midway or Grandstand events, tickets and armbands will be available for purchase.

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As far as COVID restrictions, Skerbeck is following state guidelines of outdoor events that do not require masks but masks are recommended for individuals not fully vaccinated at larger gatherings. She said they will have enhanced cleaning stations like hand sanitizers at the entrance of every ride, food concessions, and in between the gaming concessions. “If anything we can learn from the pandemic is just

to be even more mindful of our hand washing procedures. And so we just made that a little bit easier for the public to be able to adhere to, by providing those services,” Skerbeck said. For more information on the carnival, featured rides, and activities, and to find out how to purchase tickets, visit at skerbeckcarnival.com or call 906-786-2802.

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'I'm racing for the kids': Celebrity harness racer competes for Angels of Action Gena Harris gena.harris@hearst.com Plans for the Mecosta County Free Fair are coming together smoothly for next month’s event. Events taking place vary from truck and tractor pull, demolition derby, to a celebrity harness race. One of this year's celebrity rider, Central Michigan University’s former professor John Farrer, said the experience of learning how to harness race has been one for the books. “Basically I’ve been learning how

to ride horses and understanding how they work. … It's been a very informative process. I’ve always had an interest in horses and the riding process. So, it’s been fun for me to do that, and it's a plus that it's for charity.” Farrer said the harness is race is a fundraiser that is surrounded around the fair in efforts to support various organizations and charities. He said his involvement with the fair is heavily influenced by the organization, Angels in Action. Angels of Action is a nonprofit

organization that serves children and families in Mecosta and Osceola counties. He said the organization's purpose is to fight childhood hunger by providing food for the weekend. They do this by receiving donations and buying food from Feeding America to send home with children on Fridays. Weekend food includes milk, juice, two breakfast foods, two lunch foods, and two snack foods. Farrer is competing for the organization’s cause. “These kids struggle with food over

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the weekend," he said. "The backpack program is where the kids will go home on Friday with food and bring the backpack back on Monday and volunteers fill the backpack up for the upcoming weekend. … This cause means a lot for the community, so I'm racing for the kids.” If you want to see Farrer race and support the Angels of Action organization, here’s your chance. The friendly competition will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 13 at the Mecosta County Free Fair.

2021 | Before The Fair

mecosta county FREE fair

Monday, July 12th thru Saturday, July 17th, 2021 Monday, July 12 6:30pm

Harness Race / colt stakes

Tuesday, July 13 • 6:30pm harness overnights, celebrity race

Monday, July 12 • 5-11pm $20 Daily armbanD

6am - 11am 6am - 11am 1pm 3pm 6pm 6:30pm

Market animal Weigh- In non- Market animal check in / Rabbit Check in Rabbit Show Poultry Show Sheep Show Harness Race/Colt Stakes

TickeTs also available: $1 ea.

Tuesday, July 13 • 1-5pm $15 armbanD; 6-11pm $20 armbanD

9am 6pm 6:30pm

Wednesday, July 14

Kids day pedal pull 1:00pm

Market Swine Show Market Goat Show / non Market Goats Following Harness overnights, Celebrity Race

Wednesday, July 14 • 12-11pm $20 Daily armbanD

9am 11am 12-1:30 1pm 6pm

Market Beef Show dairy Market / Market Feeder Show Baby Calf Show KIds day • Pedal Pull HoRSE Pull

Thursday, July 15 • 1-5pm $15 armbanD; 6-11pm $20 armbanD

Wednesday, July 14 6:00pm

HORSE PULL

7am-11am 9am 10am-12pm 12:00pm 1:00 pm 2:00pm 6pm 7pm

Horses can arrive dairy Breed-stock Show Trail (practice arena) Cloverbud Trail, Riding, Fitting and Showing Reining Hunter Hack Mecosta County’s Junior livestock auction SuPER KICKER RodEo

Saturday, July 17 7:00pm

FrIday, July 16 • 1-5pm $15 Daily armbanD; 6-11pm $20 armbanD

6am

9:00am 7pm

Market livestock released on designated trucks • all animals removed from barns - no exceptions Fitting & Showmanship, Huntseat, Saddleseat, Western Classes MTTP - Michigan Truck & Trator Pullers

saTurday, July 17 • 1-11pm $25 armbanD

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Front Wheel Drive & Mini-Van Demo Derby Stock Off-Road Derby Modified Off-Road Derby Power Wheels Racing for Kids Cash Awards & Prizes for Winners. First 20 Demo Derby Registrants receive $50 from Mecosta County Fairboard. MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED. www.Unique-Motor-Sports.com or FB Page. For Info call 616-636-8180

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