MNA - Manistee County Fair - 08/10/2024 by Hearst Midwest

MANISTEE County Fair

Livestock council gears up for Manistee County Fair week

Bella Gasaway Staff Writer

ONEKAMA — The Manistee County Fair is returning to Onekama this August, featuring a variety of new and old crowd favorites.

One of the staples of the Manistee County Fair is the 4-H programs and livestock showcases. These programs are brought by the Manistee 4-H Livestock Council, a group that oversees the 4-H programs exhibited at the Manistee County Fair.

The Manistee 4-H Livestock Council maintains the Manistee County 4-H programs and brings livestock education to youth in Manistee, Benzie and Lake counties.

The livestock council operates in partnership with the Michigan State University Extension, a program that “helps people improve their lives through an educational process that

applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities,” according to the MSU Extension website.

The council is made up of five to 12 MSU Extension volunteers who serve three-year elected terms. Individuals holding executive positions are in office for one year.

Jeremy Sexton, president of the council, was elected in November and serves alongside eight council members.

The majority of the livestock council has a background in animal husbandry or farming, is a 4-H alum or has children in a 4-H program.

According to the livestock council’s website, the council strives to “establish and maintain the necessary standards to run a successful educational program for Manistee, Benzie and Lake County 4-H youth.”

The livestock council works year-round. Mem-

bers are “responsible for setting a budget and financial reviews, reviewing and updating bylaws, nominations, educational events, 4-H auction, buyer’s dinner, ribbons/ trophies, ensuring pens/ stalls and barns are ready for fair, ensuring the safety of animals and youth, and any needs that arise,” according to a news release.

At this year’s fair, the council is looking to see teamwork, good character, respect, dedication, responsibility, kindness, passion and leadership from 4-H participants.

“We look forward to new and previous participants sharing their experiences, challenges, newfound skills and lessons learned,” the council said in a statement.

The livestock council holds meetings the third Thursday of each month. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. in the Onekama Town Hall, located at 5435 Main St.

4-H participants will showcase and auction their livestock during the Manistee County Fair, which runs from Aug. 13-17. File photo

Manistee County Fairgrounds undergoes improvements

Bella Gasaway Staff Writer

ONEKAMA — The Manistee County Fairgrounds, home to the Manistee County Fair, may look a little different this year.

The Manistee County Fair Board has been working on improvements to the fairgrounds for the past year. These improvements have been underway for months in order to allow this year’s fair, from Aug. 1317, run more efficiently.

Elaine Bossingham, board secretary, says that fair board members are often the ones completing improvements to the grounds since the board’s budget is too tight to allow for outside help.

flooding going on. Our track definitely took a hit on that one,” Bossingham said. “We had board members that had been down there (doing) maintenance on that.”

Electrical updates, plumbing maintenance and water testing were also completed this year to make sure the facility can run at its best.

Last year, a new driveway was put in at the grounds, as well as new fencing due to rain

“Our bathroom is one of our big focal points — we’re hoping to build a new facility, and that’s required a lot of maintenance,” Bossingham said. “For the near future, we’ve been putting together five-year plans so that we can work with the county on getting funds to do some newer things that require more money than what we raise.”

“It’s so important to have community support. We do get a lot of great sponsors and we have a lot of fans that come and support the races that we have,” Bossingham said.

damage to the property. These projects were also completed by board members.

“We try and do everything through our board just to save money. Our budget’s kind of tight because all of our money that we take in comes from events (at the fair),” Bossingham explained.

According to Bossingham, the Manistee County Fairgrounds have some of the oldest grounds in the state; therefore, it requires more frequent and thorough improvements than others in Michigan.

“As you know, we had the big hailstorm earlier this year and quite a few of our buildings that got hit from that had some

Another recent addition to the grounds is the new parking area. Bossingham said the board chose to renovate the parking lot due to safety concerns with patrons parking on tight dirt roads nearby during peak fair attendance.

“In the past years, people have parked on Jones Road. We kind of like to keep that clear, just because it is a dirt road and it’s so tight through there,” Bossingham explained.

In the coming years, the fair board is hoping to work with the county to secure funds to build a new restroom facility on the property.

In addition to funds raised through the community, fair sponsorships have also been key in securing funds to maintain and improve the fairgrounds.

“It’s so important to have community support. We do get a lot of great sponsors and we have a lot of fans that come and support the races that we have,” Bossingham said.

Though the fair is not set to officially begin until Aug. 13, there will be a special event, Onekama Days Bump n Run and Demo Derby, on Aug. 3, where patrons can get a glimpse at the improvements for themselves.

Tickets for the upcoming demolition derby and August’s fair can be found at the fair website, manisteecountyfair. org. Individuals and businesses interested in financially supporting the Manistee County Fair can email manisteecountyfair@yahoo.com for more information.

The TNT Bump n Run and the demolition derby are crowd favorites during the Manistee County Fair. File photo

Manistee County Fair set to return for 154th year

savannah aBBey Staff Writer

The annual Manistee County Fair is officially set to run Aug. 13-17 at the Manistee County Fairgrounds for its 154th year.

According to its mission statement, the Manistee County Agricultural Society is committed to providing an annual county fair for the purpose of exhibition of livestock, produce and handiwork, as well as family-oriented entertainment in a wholesome environment.

Elaine Bossingham, secretary of the fair board, said the fair “cel-

ebrates the heritage of our county, and we also encompass exhibitors from Benzie County as well.”

“Manistee has been famous for dairies for many, many years,” Bossingham said. “Back in the ‘50s many people who had dairy farms would bring their finest heifers or their best milk cows for competition at the fair. It was also a way to meet and greet your fellow neighbors because they didn’t have all these other events going on. The county fair was always the hub of the year celebration.”

This year welcomes old

and new events alike. There are the usual Bump-n-Run, Demo Derby, West Michigan Pullers and racing gates. Bossingham says that the horse pull is the longest running event.

“The horse pull has been going on since probably the ‘60s, and that’s our Tuesday night event. The rest are our bump ‘n run shows, we actually try and hold those a little more often because we have what’s considered the best track in northern Michigan,” said Bossingham.

This year’s horse pull will be in honor of Larry Reed, who died this year

at age 89.

“I definitely hope that people will come out because Larry Reed passed away this year and we’re dedicating this year’s horse pull to his memory and it would be nice to have everyone come out and support,” Bossingham said.

While truck and tractor pulls may have the grandstands packed, Bossingham said that her personal favorite event every year is the livestock judging.

“You get to see the kids really be able to showcase their hard work and compete and practice good sportsmanship,”

she said. “There’s a lot of time that goes into these projects as far as raising them and then the grooming and working with them to be able to present them. I enjoy watching that because it shows that we have a lot of future there.”

Other new events this year include a polka dance, a comedy night and a Micro Wrestling Federation event.

The fair is not only for the Manistee area but draws in crowds from all over Michigan. Bossingham notes that this is partially due to the camaraderie between the various county fair

boards across the state.

“You’d be surprised how many people will come this far,” Bossingham said. “Us that are on the fair board, we go out into Michigan and visit several different fairs throughout the season, supporting each other, bringing in new ideas, so a lot of people go to visit other fairs just to see what’s different. It brings in quite a few across the state of Michigan.”

This year, parking and entry are both free for the fair. More information is available online at manisteecountyfair.org and on Facebook at Manistee County Fair.

A competitor’s pig rests on Aug. 15, 2023 before the showcase at the Manistee County Fair.

File Photo

The West Michigan Pullers grandstand event included all classes competing at the Manistee County Fair on Aug. 18, 2023. File Photo

The TNT Bump n Run and the demolition derby are crowd favorites during the Manistee County Fair. File photo

Micro wrestling, comedy, polka dance slated for Manistee fair

savannah aBBey Staff Writer

This year’s Manistee County Fair will see three new events on the roster: a polka dance, comedy night and micro wrestling.

The new events will kick off with Micro Wrestling, which will take place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., and pre-sale tickets cost $12, door sales cost $15, and ringside tickets are $40.

The Micro Wrestling Federation describes itself as a full-scale, World Wrestling Entertainment-type event supported by an entire cast

under five feet tall. More information can be found at microwrestling.com.

Ann Wilkosz, corresponding secretary treasurer of the fair board, noted in an interview that every event that is held by the Micro Wrestling Federation sells out, so it should be a popular grandstand event.

The new festivities will continue at the pavilion on Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. with the comedy night. This event will provide a new source of entertainment for those who do not enjoy the traditional fair events.

The county fair will welcome the three comedians — Marti Johnson,

Chris Young and Tim Steele — to perform at the comedy night. The event is free.

“Friday night we have our comedy, and then we’re going to have some bands coming in, so that was an added extra for those that don’t want to see the truck and tractor pulls, they want to enjoy an evening of comedy,” said Elaine Bossingham, secretary of the fair board.

However, Bossingham is the most excited about the polka dance. This style of dance originated in 18th century Bohemia, but is also a long-stand-

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Micro Wrestling Federation is coming to the Manistee County Fair on Aug. 14. Emily Kask/AFP via Getty Images

Virgil Baker and the Just for Fun band will perform at the Manistee County Fair on Aug. 11.

File Photo

4-H youth to showcase livestock at Manistee County Fair

savannah aBBey Staff Writer

The Manistee County Fair will run from Aug. 13-17. There, one can find livestock shows and auction, run by the national nonprofit organization, 4-H.

4-H holds youth programs all over the country; in Michigan it’s delivered by the Michigan State University Extension office.

The organization offers a wide variety of different programs and opportunities for youth to participate in informal experiential education.

Manistee has 11 clubs that are year-round, most of which are focused on livestock projects.

“They’ll not only participate in the husbandry and care of those animals, but also learning things about the animals like proper nutrition, animal diseases ... and parts of the animal,” Oosterhouse said.

ability, care for others and working together as a team. They learn to care for their animals and work together within their club to achieve their goals every year,” Oosterhouse said.

This year has seen an increase in participants, with 79 children contributing to the show. The numbers have been steadily increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kristy Oosterhouse, the supervising and staff development educator for District 3, says that “the opportunities are designed to connect inschool learning with their out of school activities.”

The livestock showing at the county fair is a culminating opportunity where the youth participants are able to exhibit the projects that they’ve spent the year working on. Participants will show their animals in the show ring and show the judges the knowledge they’ve gained over the course of the program.

The 4-H program in

“Families of participants will often share that you learn a lot of responsibilities through participating in the program: account-

The Manistee County Fair also will feature the annual livestock auction. At this event, buyers can bid on the animals raised by 4-H youth involved in the market animal program. Pre-registration is available for buyers at the Manistee County Michigan State University Extension office. There will also be a buyer’s dinner to show appreciation to those who

Children of all ages show their pigs during the 4-H swine show at the 2022 Manistee County Fair Tuesday in Onekama. File Photo

Manistee County Fair schedule

The Manistee County Fair officially kicks off to the public on Aug. 13 and runs through Aug. 17.

Aug. 11

• Noon-6 p.m., Dinner by Zupin’s Catering with polka music by Virgil Baker and the Just For Fun band. Tickets, $20 each, can be purchased at the Manistee County Council on Aging’s Wagoner Community Center. For more information, call 231723-6477

• 5-7 p.m., Fair office will be open for entry tags pick-up for all items exhibited in the exhibit building. Tags can also be picked up Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Aug. 12

• 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Entry day for all exhibits and animals

Aug. 13

• 8:30 a.m to 1 p.m., Open Class (pavilion) and 4-H Exhibits (horse barn)\

• 8 a.m., 4-H swine judging

• 2 p.m., 4-H sheep judging

• 3-10 p.m. Merchant building open

• 3-10 p.m. Native Amusements carnival open

• 4 p.m., 4-H cattle judging

• 6 p.m., 4-H goat judging

• 7 p.m., Michigan Horse Pulling Boat Association: Doors open at 6 p.m. Grandstand entry fee $10 all ages

Aug. 14

• 8 a.m., 4-H rabbit judging

• 1 p.m., 4-H poultry/ bird judging

• 3-10 p.m. Merchant building open

• 3-10 p.m. Native Amusements carnival open

• 5 p.m., 4-H live performance event in the youth exhibit area

• 7 p.m., Micro Wrestling Federation: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Grandstand entry fee is $12 advance bleachers, $15 gate and $40 ringside

Aug. 15

• 3-10 p.m. Merchant building open

• 3-10 p.m. Native Amusements carnival open

• 5:30 p.m., 4-H Livestock auction

• 7 p.m., TNT Bump & Run Event: Doors open at 6 p.m. Grandstand entry fee is $15 ages 13 and up, $10 ages 6-12 and veterans, and free for kids 5 and under; pit passes $20 all ages

Aug. 16

• 10 a.m., Photo opportunity day in the show barn for 4-H and open class livestock and standard exhibit winners

• 3-10 p.m. Merchant building open

• 3-10 p.m. Native Amusements carnival open

• 7 p.m., West Michigan Pullers: Doors open at 6 p.m. Grandstand entry fee is $15 ages 13 and up, $10 ages 6-12 and veterans, and free for kids 5 and under; pit passes $20 all ages

• 7 p.m., Comedy Night featuring Marti Johnson, Chris Young and Tim Steele at the pavilion. Free event

Aug. 17

• Noon-10 p.m., Merchant Building open

• Noon-10 p.m., Native Amusements carnival open

• 2-4 p.m., Kids Day/ Public Safety Day

• 6 p.m., TNT Bump & Run and Demolition Derby: Doors open at 5 p.m. Grandstand entry fee is $15 ages 13 and up, $10 ages 6-12 and veterans, and free for kids 5 and under. Pit entry is $20

Aug. 18

• 8 a.m. to noon, exit day for all animals and exhibits

Lil Show Redneck Brawler kicks lil Mario at On The Rocks in Cleveland, Mississippi, on Feb. 9, 2018. The Micro Wrestling Federation is a full scale, WWE type event sporting an entire cast under five feet tall. EMILY KASK/AFP via Getty Images

Fair board gears up for another summer of fun

Bella Gasaway Staff Writer

ONEKAMA — A local summertime favorite will be returning to the area for its 154th year of festivities.

The Manistee County Fair will take place Aug. 13-17 at the Manistee County Fairgrounds, located at 7587 First St. in Onekama. Featured events during the week include the demolition derby, micro wrestling, and a truck and tractor pull.

The Manistee County Fair originated under the name of the Manistee County Agricultural Society in 1886. The fair is still run by the agricultural society today and is recognized as a nonprofit Michigan organization.

The Manistee County Agricultural Society and the board of directors own and manage the fair. This year, the board consists of 17 members.

Elaine Bossingham,

board of directors secretary, has been serving on the board for 10 years.

“We are all volunteer board members. We have a full board president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and then directors,” Bossingham explained.

Board president John Schimke has served for roughly 14 years. Other board positions, however, see a higher turnover and have requirements prior to serving in the position.

Members of the board serve three-year terms and are required to complete a year’s worth of volunteer time before becoming a director.

Bossingham said this process ensures that all prospective board members understand the time commitment that comes along with the position and allows open board seats to be filled by individuals willing to make the time commitment.

“People who are inter-

ested (in the board) can determine whether it’s for them or not. … If they volunteer for a year, they know what entails with all the events that we go to. Then, of course, the monthly board meetings and the planning. … It’s a lot of volunteer hours,” Bossingham said.

The fair board meets every month during the year to discuss planning and logistics for the fair. In July and August, the board meets every two weeks to make sure the lead-up to the fair itself is running smoothly.

Planning for this year’s fair began in September and event contracts were signed from October through January.

In January, Bossingham and the board attended the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions Convention in Grand Rapids. This convention is an opportunity to attend roundtables with other fair boards across

Native Amusements will again bring carnival rides to the Manistee County Fair. File photo

John Burtch, of Onekama, takes a shot while playing a game on the midway at the Manistee County Fair in 2016. File photo

Madison Rogers (left) and Grace Servinski warm up their horses in 2019 at the Manistee County Fairgrounds during the horse show. File photo

People view the animal exhibits in the 4-H buildings that had already been judged and won a ribbon during the 2019 fair. File photo

Dynamite the Clown was on hand in the merchant building, making balloon animals for children during Kids’s Day at Manistee County Fair in 2016. File photo

Spectators at the Manistee County Fair were treated to barrel racing on Aug. 19, 2022. File photo

Cheyenne Renner poses with her steer on Aug. 15, 2023 as she grooms him for the showcase during the Manistee County Fair. File photo

Carnival rides are a popular part of the Manistee County Fair. File photo

EVENTS

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ing tradition for many Michigan locals.

“Sunday, Aug. 11, we are hosting a polka party and dinner. We are working with the (Manistee County) Commission on Aging. We’re going to be having a nice meal and then Virgil Baker and the Just for Fun band will be doing the live polka. We’re really looking forward to that because there haven’t been a lot of polkas out and about for the community this year,” said Bossingham. The event starts at 1 p.m. at the pavilion.

Doors open at noon and food will be served starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are

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supported the program with their bids.

Oosterhouse expressed her gratitude for the volunteers who help the program run smoothly and aid in the adjustment process as the children say goodbye to the animals they cared for.

“We would not be able to do our program without our volunteer help, and they’re very appreciated. They’re great at working with the kids and helping them to understand the various aspects of the projects

that they’re involved in. They work with them and help them process all of the range of human emotions that can go into that experience,” Oosterhouse said.

The livestock shows will take place over various days throughout the week of the fair with different species shown at different times. The buyer’s dinner will take place from 3-6 p.m. and the auction will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 15. Visit manisteecountyfair.org for more information.

$20 each.

She believes that the polka dance will be one of the most popular events this year and could sell out. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the senior center.

“We like to be able to give back to the community and support our seniors. Of course, everybody likes a polka, so we decided to have that event on Sunday,” said Bossingham.

This year, parking and entry are both free for the fair.

Find more about the fair at manisteecountyfair. org and on Facebook at Manistee County Fair.

Chickens are pictured during the 2014 Manistee County Fair. File photo

Virgil Baker and the Just 4 Fun Band performs polka tunes throughout Manistee. File Photo

TNT Racing holds events at the Manistee County Fair each year. File Photo

Chris Young

Submitted photo/Chris Young

Tim Steele Submitted photo/Tim Steele

Marti Johnson

Submitted photo/ Marti Johnson

continued

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Children show their sheep in 2015 during the Manistee County Fair. File Photo

FAIR BOARD

continued from page 8

the state and to build an event schedule for upcoming fairs by looking at prospective entertainment.

“(There) is a big vendors area where a lot of the entertainment will get together, and they each have individual booths, so you get to go around and see what’s available

for different fair entertainment,” Bossingham explained.

In addition to planning out the fair every summer, all board directors will be trained and ServSafe certified to serve and handle food and drinks at the fair’s food booth in August.

This year, the fair board is partnering with the

Manistee County Council on Aging to bring a polka party to the fairgrounds on Aug. 11. Tickets are on sale at the Wagoner Community Center, located at 260 St Mary Parkway.

Micro wrestling will also be a new event added to the week’s schedule. Micro wrestling, brought by the Micro Wrestling Fed-

eration, is a “high-flying, professional wrestling promotion supported by an entire cast under 5 feet tall,” according to the federation’s website.

“We’re hosting a polka party… and then, this year, we’re having the

micro wrestlers. We have not had those at our fair before, so that’ll be a fun event,” Bossingham said.

The fair board is looking for new members annually. Interested individuals can reach out to manisteecountyfair@

yahoo.com or call 231655-1116.

For further information about the Manistee County Fair, including upcoming events and ticket purchasing, visit the fair’s website at manisteecountyfair.org.