Fairgrounds has a long list of fun

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If the price of gas is keeping you close to home, there are a lot of events coming up at the Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton that will be fun for the whole family.

For the men in the family, there is a huge lawn mower and farm equipment auction today, Saturday, at the fairgrounds. They can check out new and antique guns at the Sauk Trail Gun Collectors show and sale on March 29-30.

More than 1,000 people attended the last Huge Garage Sale at the fairgrounds in March. A second Huge Garage Sale was added to the schedule on April 5. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone who would like to reserve a space to sell should call (815) 875-2606 after 6 p.m. Admission will be free. To help benefit the local animal shelters, a collection of dog and cat food will be taken at the door.

Antique and collectibles will be sold at the Second Sunday Flea Market on April 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Book lovers should plan to attend the Friends of the Library Book Sale, which begins April 17 through April 20. You can find all sorts of great books in both paperback and hardback for very reasonable prices.

Racing will begin at the Bureau County Speedway on April 18. Weather permitting, a practice session will be run on April 12. New for 2008 is a (UMP) United Midwestern Promoters sanction for the Late Model and Modified divisions.

On Mother’s Day, May 11, the next Second Sunday Flea Market will be held. Then on Father’s Day weekend, the third annual “More on 34” sale will be held. There will be a two-day Flea Market on Saturday and Sunday at the fairgrounds. Plus there will be town-wide garage sales and flea markets all along Route 34 from Sandwich to Galesburg.

The Illinois High School Rodeo will make its first visit to the fairgrounds on May 31 and June 1. High school students will compete in barrel racing, bareback and saddlebronc riding, roping and bull riding events.

Also on June 1, Starved Rock Area Radio Club will host the annual Hamfest for ham radio operators.  

We still have openings if you would like to have your family reunion or graduation party in the buildings at the fairgrounds. Call (815) 875-2606 for more information.

We will end the summer with a bang during the 153rd annual Bureau County Fair which runs Aug. 20-24. Tickets will go on sale June 7 for all of the events at this year’s fair including the Aug. 22 Rodney Atkins concert. Atkins has his fourth straight No. 1 hit with “Cleaning this Gun.” Last year, his hit “Watching You” was the most played country song. His other two No. 1 songs were “If You’re Going Through Hell” and “These are My People.”

The Bureau County Fair will also feature carnival ride specials every day of the fair, a horse speed show with barrel racing and pole bending, tractor pulls, queen pageants and end up with the demolition derby on Sunday.

As soon as the fair wraps up, construction will be underway for the next Nightmare on Fairground’s Road haunted attraction. Come to the fairgrounds weekends in October for the scare of your life.

Fall brings another new activity. Just added is the North Central Illinois Train and Farm Toy show on Nov. 22. This show will feature all types of model trains and layouts, farm toys and die cast cars for sale. A Christmas craft show will be held on Dec. 14 to wrap up 2008.

You won’t have to go far or spend a lot of money for gas, just attend one of the many events at Bureau County Fairgrounds. There are several more events that are in the planning stages so check the Web site at www.bureaucountyfair.com for updated information.

Kathy Costerisan is a representative for the Bureau County Fairgrounds.