Holmes County Fair ready to roll out 100th edition

Holmes County has many reasons to be proud of itself, and the county fair stands near the top.

Celebrating 100 years, the fair at the Holmes County Fairgrounds at Harvest Ridge will offer a variety of activities and exhibitions Aug. 7-12.

“The fair was held in Holmes County going back to the mid-1800s,” said Kerry Taylor, fair board president, “but it was not until 1923 a true county fair was established that has lasted consecutively.

“It is so much work heading to the start that when opening day arrives, you can take a deep breath and enjoy the excitement of youth and their projects, the fair food, and the interaction with all the people.”

The fair will open Aug. 7 at 8 a.m. and commence with a 9 a.m. poultry judging, dog project judging and the 4-H contest horse show in three separate venues and conclude Aug. 12 with the 7 p.m. demolition derby.

Kissel Amusement Co. will oversee the rides with various prices offered throughout the week including a family four-pack on Friday, Aug. 11 and a buy one, get one half off on Saturday, Aug. 12.

“Pomerene Hospital has again stepped up to offer discounted admission, which will be $4 until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and kids 10 and under remain free for the week,” Taylor said. “Kids Day on Wednesday has become a tradition including $12 ride wristbands from noon to 4.”

Fair secretary Tara Sheldon gave her perspective on the anniversary.

“I remember taking part in the 75th anniversary celebration when I was in 4-H,” she said, “so it is exciting to help celebrate the 100th — such a fun and memorable time for all the families involved in 4-H past and present.”

The 100th anniversary celebration and coronation of the king and queen will occur Aug. 7 at 5:45 p.m. in the large arena.

“We will be holding a celebration Monday evening and have lots of fun memorabilia that can be purchased in the fair office throughout the week,” she said.

Taylor said several improvements will be visible to attendees.

“The first improvement fair-goers will see is the newly paved main drive leading into the fair and then the blacktop leading up to the grandstands,” he said.

Taylor said a new sound system has been installed, and the truck and tractor pulls have been brought back to be combined with the antique pull.

Grandstand events will include the truck and tractor pulls on Tuesday, motocross on Wednesday, the Northern Ohio Outlaws Mounted Shooting Show on Thursday at 6 p.m., the bulls and barrels rodeo at 7 p.m., the Brad Giauque memorial OSTPA truck and tractor pull on Friday, and the demolition derby on Saturday.

The CSB Stage on the Green will include Jenyce’s School of Dance on Monday, the West Holmes marching band and Shine Bright Dance Studio on Tuesday, the Hiland marching band on Wednesday, the Praise Band on Thursday, local rock band Low Gap on Friday, and the Callanaw Rednecks Area Country & Southern Rock Band on Saturday.

Electronic tickets will again be an option for visitors, and according to Sheldon, that option offers a few advantages including saving fair-goers gas and travel time to pick them up.

“Electronic ticketing allows you to skip the line and get to the fun more quickly,” Sheldon said. “Purchasing your tickets online allows you to save them directly to your phone, so no need to carry tickets around. If one person in the family purchases a ticket, they can also screenshot and share with the other family members to make the process easier. And the option is available for those exciting grandstand events too.

“If you attend the fair and decide you want to grab a seat in the grandstands, you could purchase a ticket on your walk up to the track and have it ready to scan when you arrive in the reserved seat area.”

Taylor said the fair set an attendance record last year, with just under 40,000 attending over the six days.

“The daily attendance is pretty consistent, with Wednesday being the biggest day last year,” he said.

Taylor’s favorite fair tradition is watching the kids show and sell their animals.

“After all, we are truly a junior fair,” he said. “Our youth work so hard on these and the life skills projects. Often the fair is the culmination of months of work for our youth and their families. Our community is so generous in supporting these kids as our sale boasts some of the top averages in the state.

“After having three children show animals, I now get to watch my grandchildren do the same.”

Admission to the 100th Holmes County Fair is $4 before 4 p.m. and $8 after 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and $8 all day on Saturday. Admission for seniors is $5 while on Wednesday all veterans are admitted free with proper ID. A pass good for the entire run of the fair is $28.

Everything you need to know about the fair is available at www.harvestridgeohio.com under the Holmes County Fair tab.