See you at the fairgrounds!
Events just keep happening at the Bureau County Fairgrounds. You might think that after the 157th Bureau County Fair was completed the fair board would just relax until next August. But that never happens. We just finished the four-weekend run of the ninth season of Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road. It was, again, a very successful event with thousands of people coming to the fairgrounds to be scared. Thanks to all of the volunteers who help make this event the success it is. The “Spook Crew” is already planning for next year’s 10th anniversary event.
Today, Saturday, there will be two pigeon shows at the fairgrounds. The Mid American Pigeon Show will be held in one heated exhibit hall, and a Modena Pigeon Show will be in another hall. Admission is free for both shows. Also this weekend, campers, boats and motorhomes can be put into winter storage on both Saturday and Sunday. See www.bureaucountyfair.com for the prices and the contract.
The Huge Winter Garage Sale will be two days, Nov. 9-10, with doors opening at 8 a.m. Admission is free but please bring a donation of canned food for our local food pantry. Spaces are still available if you have items you would like to sell. Call Nancy at 815-303-2905 to sign up.
Nov. 17 will be the fifth annual Northern Illinois Model Train Fair and Farm Toy Show. Doors will open at 9 a.m. and the show runs until 3 p.m. This year a new display has been added. Bill Michaels, disc jockey on the Dwyer and Michaels show on 97X in the Quad Cities, will be bringing a scale model display of a lumber yard. This display won Best of Show in the nation at the recent Fine Scale Modeling Show in October. He took almost two years to construct this scene, and the detail in this 4-foot long display is amazing.
Also at this show will be a 1/8 scale train that the kids can ride on, presented by Larry Johnson of Princeton. Several large working train layouts will be on display. Spaces are still available for selling. There will also be trains and farm toys for sale. This is also the same weekend as the Princeton Christmas open house so the ladies can go shopping downtown while the men enjoy the toys and trains.
With the cold weather, the Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show and Sale returns. It will be open the weekend of the Thanksgiving holiday with new and antique firearms, ammo and related items for sale on Saturday and Sunday with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.
There are a couple of events scheduled for December, but we still have room if you would like to hold your Christmas party at the fairgrounds. There will be an animal swap meet on Dec. 3, and the 2nd Sunday Flea Market will be held on Dec. 9.
The new fair office is under construction, and the old Secretary’s office trailer will be removed this weekend. Volunteers are working on completing the construction inside the new office which will be handicapped accessible. The shell of the building was donated by Coach House Garage company to the fairgrounds.
For information on any of the events at the fairgrounds or to hold an event there, contact Nancy Monier at 815-303-2905 or see the fair’s web page at www.bureaucountyfair.com. You can also contact us through our fair Facebook page. Mark your calendars now for the 158th annual Bureau County Fair, Aug. 21-25, 2013.
Kathy Costerisan is a representative for the Bureau County Fairgrounds.
