Gearing up for the 153rd Bureau County Fair

Have you decided it is just going to be too expensive to go on a family vacation this year? You need to check out all of the events going on at the Bureau County Fairgrounds. We are close to home, and there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy. If you don’t want to pull your camper a long way, just park it in our campground, so you can be close to our events. A large group of motorhomes will be coming into town on June 15 to make an overnight stop on their way out to Wyoming.

Things were really hopping around the Bureau County Fairgrounds last weekend. The Starved Rock Area Radio Club vendors were selling their computers and radio equipment on the south side of the grounds. The north side was filled with horse trailers, campers and lots of talented high school cowboys and cowgirls and their horses. The Illinois High School Rodeo Association rodeo had 89 competitors in nine different events that traveled here from all over the state. Between the two events, there were people visiting from at least five different states.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. today, Saturday, for the Aug. 22 Rodney Atkins’ concert and for all of the events during the 153rd annual Bureau County Fair.

The fair festivities will actually kick off a couple of weeks before the fair begins. The queen pageant for Miss Bureau County Fair, Little Miss and Junior Miss will be held at Bureau Valley High School on July 29. Contestants can sign up now. Call Sue Von Holten at (815) 542-6273 for more information. Miss Bureau County Fair will receive a $1,000 college scholarship and many other prizes, including an expense paid trip to Springfield to compete in the Miss Illinois State Fair pageant.

Opening day of the fair is Aug. 20. You can bring your whole family to the fair that night for only $5 on carload night. A battle of the Praise Bands will be going on in the grandstand with the winner getting to be the opening act for Thursday night’s grandstand show. Bob Smiley, a family-oriented comedian, will be on stage on Thursday night. At the same time, in the McCutchan horse arena, you can see barrel racing, pole bending and other horse speed events.

Friday night country singer Rodney Atkins will be entertaining in front of the grandstand. His hits include “Cleaning this Gun” and “Watching You” (the buckaroo song). Be sure to check out the “Best Seats in the House” raffle. You can win two seats in the center of the front row plus a backstage meet and greet pass for two. Raffle tickets are on sale now for $5 each or five for $20, and the winner will be drawn by Bob Smiley on Thursday night of the fair.

Saturday will be full of things to see and do with the Tractor and Truck Pull, livestock and draft horse shows, kids’ and adults’ pedal pull and carnival ride specials, just to name a few. Aug. 24 is Demo Derby Day at the fair. Wristband ride days have been added to every day of the fair to give you a chance to ride to your heart’s content. A brand new huge ride will amaze fairgoers as it twirls above your heads.

There is so much going on during this year’s fair; I just don’t have room to mention it all. You can still afford to bring the whole family and spend the day and not use a lot of gas getting here. We have thousands of dollars of free entertainment daily, great food, thrilling rides and fun for the whole family.

If you have something that you would like to place on exhibit in the museum at the fair, please contact Nancy Roach at (815) 659-3160 or call the fair office at (815) 875-2905. The museum will be open daily. Its exhibits change every year.

The fair is holding a fundraiser dinner on July 26 in the Allen Building. You will get two grilled pork chops and all of the fixings for dinner for $8. Tickets will be sold at the door. Please come and help support the fair.

Other events coming up at the Fairgrounds include the Illinois Municipal Electrical Association trade show; Bureau County 4-H Fair from July 16 to July 20, Farm Credit annual meeting, racing at Bureau County Speedway, Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road Haunted House, garage sales, flea markets, gun shows, pigeon shows, and Angus sales.

Next weekend, there will be a two-day flea market during “More on 34.” There will be vendors inside and outside the buildings selling crafts, antiques, collectibles and junk on June 14-15 during Father’s Day weekend. There is free admission and food available both days. The sale route extends from Galesburg to Sandwich all along Route 34. If you need more information, call (815) 875-2606.

We have lost three friends of the fair during the past few months. We would like to thank the families of Ollie Stier, Buddy Grabill and Frank Hoeffleger for donating memorial money to the fair. Their absence will be felt at the fair this summer.

Kathy Costerisan is a representative for the Bureau County Fairgrounds.