Food, Fun, and Friends Abound at the Fair

By Susi Lafaele

In 1973, the Sherman Brothers penned the lyrics “A fair is a veritable smorgasboardorgasboard-orgasboard” for the animated film Charlotte’s Web, and their words weren’t too far off. The Washington County Fair has been an integral part of the southern Utah community for over 160 years—ever since the early settlers of Washington City opened their homes to display agricultural products (livestock, corn, cotton, and garden vegetables), braided straw hats, moccasins made from tanned deer skins, and homemade articles from county-grown cotton and wool. Today’s fair is a chance to showcase the produce of local gardeners and the agriculture of Washington County farmers and to highlight the physical prowess of athletes who take on a raging bull or horse. There is no doubt that the Washington County Fair is a smorgasbord of activities for the entire family.

In 2021, the fair drew record crowds, with 60,000 people in attendance. This year, the fair is excited to offer even more attractions, entertainment, and fun for everyone who attends. With two new events (a two-night rodeo and a special needs rodeo) and a performance by

Grammy-nominated artist Walker Hayes, the 2022 Washington County Fair is proud to offer more opportunities than ever for the community to participate and come together.

Showcase Your Home and Garden

Summoning all bakers, gardeners, and crafters! The Washington County Fair promotes community involvement and interest, so if you have something to contribute in agriculture, horticulture, livestock, household arts, fine arts, and diverse traditions, come join us in a family-friendly environment. We encourage the public (you) to showcase your accomplishments.

The fair accepts entries in the following categories: home and literary arts, 4-H projects, photography, crafts, quilting, canning, needlework, flowers, vegetables, baked goods, and everything in between. Items must be finished within the last year (with the exception of fine arts), and entry applications are open to residents of Washington County.

How Do I Decide Which Items to Enter?

Condition is the most important aspect of choosing your specimens. Be sure there are no signs of disease or insect damage on any part of the item. Produce that has been improperly washed and/or poorly prepared (trimmed) will receive lower consideration in the judging. Mechanical injury, such as nicks, bruising, or other blemishes, can happen at any time, but be especially careful when picking or transporting the produce to the fair as this is a common time for injuries to occur.

Quality is another criterion in judging. It is important that the produce not be overripe, underripe, wilted, or shriveled. The item should be at the perfect stage for eating.

Uniformity is an important quality. If five specimens are in an exhibit, they should all look the same. They should be of the same size, shape, color, quality, condition, and degree of maturity and should be prepared in the same manner.

Specimens should also be true to type. This means that each variety of a given vegetable should display the characteristics that make it different from other varieties of the same vegetable. Some of these differences are found in the shape, size, and color.

Size needs consideration when choosing your exhibits. Exhibiting for the county fair is not a contest to see who has grown the biggest specimen! Some vegetables and fruits, such as the tomato, have varieties that are very small and are often included in a separate class.

A highlight of the Washington County Fair is participating in or viewing the exhibitions that promote local food and agriculture. Begin now to identify items that you would like to enter, and if you don’t have anything to enter, come for the fun! In addition to the displays, the fair features hundreds of ideas on how to make your home, yard, and garden more environmentally friendly and beautiful.

Competitive Equestrian Sports

In an unprecedented move in 2021, the County Fair shifted from the heat of August to the cooler temperature of spring, allowing for more agricultural and animal events, including a two-day rodeo and a specialneeds rodeo.

Arising out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico and eventually expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations, rodeo has now become synonymous with the southwest. Garth Brooks catapulted the sport into the limelight in 1991 when he sang:

Well it’s bulls and blood It’s dust and mud It’s the roar of a Sunday crowd It’s the white in his knuckles The gold in his buckle He’ll win the next go ‘round It’s boots and chaps It’s cowboy hats It’s spurs and latigo It’s the ropes and the reins And the joy and the pain And they call the thing rodeo.

For the first time in years, the Washington County Fair will host a two-day rodeo that will feature the cowboys and cowgirls of the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association. Held Easter weekend (Friday and Saturday, April 15th and 16th), fans can see athletes participate in events such as bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, and more!

In addition to the rodeo, the county fair has hosted both a barrel racing night (held this year on Thursday, April 21st) and a junior rodeo (held this year on Friday, April 22nd) for the last three years.

Agriculture at the Fair

Working closely with the Washington County Extension Office and 4-H, the Washington County Fair has one of the best animal education centers and petting zoos! In 2021, more than 5,000 people walked through the animal education center hosted by the local FFA clubs from eight Washington County high schools. Approximately one hundred animals were on display—everything from emus to potbellied pigs and from longhorn cattle to baby chicks. Washington County also boasts one of the largest and most active horse clubs in the state of Utah.

Throughout the fair, youth show their rabbits, chickens, goats and horses in hopes of receiving the coveted sweepstakes ribbon. This year, the fair also will play host to a youth seed program, whose objective is to engage Washington County youth and families in gardening and fiber arts. This involves various “make and take” activities, including seed planting, French knitting, and fabric dying.

Even though the locations, entertainment, and displays have changed throughout the years, one thing remains the same: the Washington County Fair continues to bring the community together.

About the Author Susi Lafaele is the Washington County Event Specialist and Fair Director. She is also involved with non-profit organizations Art Around the Corner and Red Rock Rotary and is a cofounder of Southern Utah Pacific Islander Coalition. When she’s not planning the county fair or other events, you can find her spending time with nieces and nephews, traveling, or taking a much needed nap.

Susi Lafaele

Plan to Attend the Washington County Fair!

Where: Washington County Legacy Park 5500 West 700 South Hurricane, Utah

Rodeo Hours: Friday, April 15th, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, April 16th, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Special Needs Rodeo: Saturday, April 16th, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Rodeo Carnival Hours: Fri Friday, April 15th, 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, April 16th, 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Fair Hours: Wednesday, April 20th, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Thursday, April 21th, 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 22th, 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, April 23th, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Carnival Hours: Wednesday, April 20th, 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Thursday, April 21th, 2:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Friday, April 22th, 2:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Saturday, April 23th, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.

For more information on the Washington County Fair and its events, visit www.washcofair.net or call the 24-hour hotline at 435-652-5899.