Owen Co. Fair returns

For 81 years, the annual Owen County 4-H Fair and Horse Show has brought smiles to the faces of the young and old with a variety of activities and summertime fun.
Owen County Fair Board President Mark Baldwin assures that this year’s fair will be more of the same, with new memories made each night.
The fair will kick off Saturday with a walking horse show at 6:30 p.m.
The annual county-wide worship service will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday with Bro. Don Karsner officiating.
Karsner is pastor at Camp Pleasant Baptist Church, located a mile north of Frankfort in Franklin County.
The countywide picnic that typically precedes the church service will not be sponsored by the Owen County Fair Board due to new state health regulations.
The fairgrounds will be open prior to the county-wide church service and anyone attending the event may bring their own picnic lunch for their family.
The carnival will begin at 6 p.m. July 16 and will continue each evening through July 21.
Admission to this year’s fair remains at $8 and with one of the lowest admission prices around, Baldwin said it’s not always easy.
“We probably should raise them,” Baldwin said. “But as long as we can break even and keep the fairgrounds in order the best we can, we want to make it affordable for everyone. We try to have money makers throughout the year and that has worked so far and hopefully will continue to work.”
Baldwin said the admission price will include rides.
A cornhole tournament and miniature and saddle-bred horse show will also take place July 16, as well as the popular Miss Owen County Pageant.
July 17 events include family night, with a stick-horse race contest for kids, a backseat driver competition, a children’s pedal tractor pull, and a greased pig contest.
The Miss Pre-Teen pageant and Miss Teen pageants will be held July 18, between the two pageants the Mother of the Year and Owen Countian of the Year awards will be presented.
July 18 will also host a new event, with a four-wheeler and truck mud run.
“We’re doing that in place of the motocross this year,” Baldwin said. “Every other year or three years, we try to bring in a new event to get the public’s interest fired up a little bit, because people do get tired of watching the same old event every year.”
Little Prince and Princess and Little Miss and Master Owen County will be held July 19, as well as the KTPA truck and tractor pull and 4-H/FFA beef show.
A baby contest will be held July 20 and the Ohio River Valley Truck and Tractor Pull will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The demolition derby, lawn mower derby and figure 8 will take place at 7 p.m. July 21.
Baldwin said if the weather is good and the events are what people want to see, the turnout for this year’s fair will be big.
“The people make it a success,” Baldwin said. “If you have good weather everybody’s looking for something to do and a county fair in a rural area is something people always look forward to. We try to put on events that everyone wants to see and as long as we’re providing a program that’s enjoyable for everyone they’re going to come and watch it.”
For a complete schedule of events for this year’s fair, check out the Owen County Fair Board’s website at www.owencountyfairboard.com or stop by the News-Herald for a fair book.