The 2021 Union County Fair is on track to be a normal fair.
“We are working fast and furious on it,” said Michelle Kuhlwein. “It’s going to be a pretty good lineup this year when it comes to the fair.”
Fair Board member Trent Judy said it is “impressive” how the senior and junior fair board have worked to make this year’s fair happen. The 2021 Union County Fair will be held July 25 through July 31.
Board members said this is the 175th year for the fair and a return to normal is important.
“It will be just like nothing ever happened,” Kuhlwein said, referring to the pandemic restrictions that limited participation in last year’s event.
Judy added the board is “really excited and we are doing everything we can to make sure the kids have a good fair and a good week.”
Officials said there are plans to have popular food vendors, games, animals, camping, junior fair events, harness racing, sales, open shows, exhibitors, rides and everything residents have come to expect from the fair.
Christy Leeds, 4-H youth development educator for The Ohio State University Extension Office in Union County, said her office is “planning is moving ahead with the assumption that Junior Fair will have a full schedule.”
She said OSU guidelines, “were just revised somewhat so that as of June 1 we will no longer need masks for outdoor meetings and activities.”
Leeds said it is “unknown yet as to whether there will be modifications” for the fair.
Senior Fair board members said they believe there will not be capacity limitations or mask orders.
“We should know more for sure after June 2, but from what we are hearing, on June 2, we will be OK,” Kuhlwein said. “We have so much outdoor space.”
As far as entertainment, “some of it I can tell you, some of it I can’t,” she said.
She said there will be a demolition derby on Sunday, straw stacking races on Monday, a tough truck competition on Tuesday, motocross racing on Wednesday, rodeo on Thursday, and truck and tractor pulls on Friday.
“We are working on something pretty good for Friday, but there are a lot of logistics to work out and we just aren’t quite ready to announce it yet,” Kuhlwein said.
She said it isn’t just Saturday’s entertainment. She said the fair board is “working on a lot of things, a lot of really cool things.”
“We are trying to work with all of the groups we can to make sure nobody gets left out,” Kuhlwein said.
Judy said he hopes the grandstand events can be held with no restrictions.
“It is still be to be determined what our stipulations are with the state and with the local health department,” Judy said.
While last year was difficult, officials said some things would stay, specifically mentioning online ticket sales and livestreaming junior fair livestock shows.
Kuhlwein said that even though the Junior Fair “is going to be a normal Junior Fair,” a majority of the shows will be livestreamed.
“Even with restrictions lifted, there are still a lot of people who can’t attend, for whatever reason, so we would like to be able to offer that (livestreaming) so they can still watch and support the youth,” Kuhlwein said.
She said last year’s sale of tickets online went so well, the fair will continue to do it.
“All tickets will be sold online again this year,” Kuhlwein said. “It just makes it so much easier and convenient.”
Fair Board member Meg Jenkins said the open class shows are also back. She said a couple shows that had not seen much participation in the last several years were eliminated, but “I did not cut any of the kids’ things.”
She said there will also be a bake sale on Friday for all first and second place baked goods.