4 minute read
Liftoff for Space Adventures
by Shaw Media
KANKAKEE, Ill. — The Kankakee County Fair will be out of this world with fun as it highlights the area’s agriculture with an added dose of “space travel.”
The Space Adventures Thrill Show is new to the historic fair this year with two shows daily.
The show combines dangerous stunts with an educational foundation, teaching spectators about the moon, centrifugal force, the equipment to get to the moon and little-known facts about space travel.
“We pride ourselves in educating people of all ages using the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum. Using the laws of gravity to bring education in a very entertaining way to the entire family,” according to the Space Adventures Thrill Show website.
A full schedule of events kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 2, when the gates are open for exhibitors at 7 a.m. The day’s activities include a 4-H dairy cattle show, poultry and wildlife show, carnival, 4-H bunnies on parade costume contest, and garden tractor rodeo. The Creative Arts/Ag Building hosts open and junior competition for floriculture, horticulture, farm crops, collections and art. Opening day also features the first of many thrilling grandstand events with Kankakee County Speedway hot laps.
The daily Kidbucks game show returns this year. In Kidbucks, randomly selected members of the audience participate in wild and crazy games. Unlike many trivia-based game shows where contestants ring a bell and answer a question, Kidbucks is an action-based game in which the contestants are competing in clever, creative, challenging and entertaining games of a physical nature. The grand champion enters the Kidbucks chamber and grabs as many “Kidbucks” as possible, as they swirl about the chamber. The bucks are tallied and redeemed for a prize based on how many bucks are collected.
Pompeyos Ranch, semifinalists in “America’s Got Talent” TV show, will perform with their amazing rescue dogs each day, as well.
4-H shows for horses and ponies, market gilts, dairy goats, beef, rabbits and sheep are on tap for Thursday, Aug. 3.
The popular Extreme School Bus Figure 8 race begins at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at the grandstand. Open and junior shows on tap for Friday, Aug. 4, include poultry and wildlife, horse and pony, beef cattle, boer goats, rabbits, swine and barrow.
The Illinois National Barrel Horse Association horse show begins at 5 p.m. Aug. 4 at the show arena, followed by a demolition derby at 7 p.m.
The livestock shows conclude Saturday, Aug.5, with rabbit and sheep open competition, adult and junior horse and pony shows, and games and speed open horse show. The 4-H livestock auction begins at 1 p.m. in the Cattle Show Arena.
The International Professional Rodeo Association championship rodeo begins at 7 p.m. Aug. 5. IPRA has become the sports sec- ond largest professional rodeo association sanctioning nearly 300 rodeos. The IPRA has a membership base of over 2,400 members and currently sanctions rodeos across the U.S.
The Illinois National Barrel Horse Association horse show is on tap for 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 6.
The fair will conclude with metal on metal in ACME’S Beater Bonanza, a demolition derby for 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder cars and trucks beginning at 6 p.m. For more information about the Kankakee County Fair, visit www.kankakeefair.org.
NEW BERLIN, Ill. — The Prairie State was still in its teens and Vandalia was the capital when the first Sangamon County Fair exhibited some top-quality local livestock on Oct. 22, 1835.
Six horses, two sheep, a yearling heifer and bull calf earned the top honors at the show held on an area farm.
From those humble beginnings, the Sangamon County Fair has always held true to its roots and has since transformed into a five-day event that draws visitors from throughout central Illinois and beyond with its high-quality exhibits and entertainment.
The fair kicks off with swine judging at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 14, and continues with a full slate of daily fun.
A unique feature each year at the fair is the Helping All Youth Learn Of Farming Techniques (HAYLOFT) exhibit, sponsored by the Sangamon County Farm
Sangamon County Fair June 14-18 318 W. Birch St. New Berlin, Illinois
Bureau, where parents and children can experience the daily life of a farmer. They will learn where their food comes from and what grains are in our foods by doing chores like gathering eggs and picking apples. They can also ride around on a tractor.
The Russel Miner Memorial Antique Tractor Drive rolls at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 17, presented by the Sangamon County Farm Bureau Young Leader Committee. Nightly entertainment will be featured at the grandstand beginning Thursday, June 15, with the headliner Blackberry Smoke with Stoney LaRue. Blackberry Smoke was formed www.agrinews-pubs.com | COUNTY FAIRS 2023 | Friday, June 2, 2023 13 in Atlanta in 2000. Their debut album, “Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime,” was released in 2003. Their second album “Little Piece of Dixie,” was released in 2009, and the album “You Hear Georgia” was released in 2021, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Chart.
A rodeo, presented by Rogue Rodeo, will be held at the grandstand Friday, June 16.
Rogue Rodeo is presented by Jerry Beaumont and Stephanie
Allgood, who state on their website: “Along with our little boys, we reside on a commercial cow/ calf operation in Monroe County, Iowa. Athletes and sports enthusiasts turned rodeo competitors, we see the sport of rodeo from a different perspective than most. In 2017, we recognized the need for another good rodeo company in Iowa and started Rogue Rodeo. We’re known for producing fastpaced, exciting, family-friendly rodeos in a professional manner.”
Saddle bronc riding is among the highlights that will be featured in a rodeo at the Sangamon County Fair grandstand June 16.
The popular demolition derby will be the grandstand feature on June 17 with a payout in six categories.
Call For Daily Bids 217-394-5700
Association and Illinois Tractor Pulling Association-sanction tractor pull Sunday, June 18. For a full schedule of daily events, go to www.sangcofair. com. GRANDSTAND SCHEDULE June 6th, 6 PM Little, Junior, and Queen Pageant Admission: Adults $5 Children $2 June 8th, 6 PM RC Car Races Admission: Free with Front gate admission June 9th, 6 PM Tractor Pull Admission: Free with Front gate admission June 10th, 6 PM Demo Derby Admission: TBD
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A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE BIKE EVERY DAY!
$7 Admission All Carnival Rides Tuesday 6-10 Wednesday 6-10 Thursday 6-10 Friday 5-11 Saturday 12-11 Grandstand Admission Thursday and Friday Night Four Free Bounce Houses While Carnival is Open! Petting Zoo Bob Bohm Entertainment Face Painting Mary Alice Ag Activity Zone
