JOIN The FUN AT THE Allamakee County Fair THIS WEEK

Rising country music star Easton Corbin to headline Friday's grandstand with Decorah native's Cory Farley Band opening

This week, July 19-23,  the 164th Allamakee County Fair will be held for all to enjoy at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A wide variety of entertainment is in place to headline this year’s fair at the grandstand, along with a great deal of other activities for everyone to enjoy each and every day throughout the five-day event.

Grandstand To Feature Star Power And Horse Power

Kicking off this year’s grandstand entertainment line-up Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. will be a Truck and Tractor Pull featuring local trucks and tractors as well as some powered-up regional competitors in a variety of high-revving classes.

Supercross Racing will fly through the grandstand area Thursday, July 20 as Motokazie brings its dirt bike and ATV racing series back to the Allamakee County Fair, beginning at 7 p.m. Series racers will compete for cash and season awards while braving jumps, turns and other thrills on two- or four-wheeled machines.

A strong dose of country music from both the national and more local scenes will hit the grandstand stage Friday evening, July 21, beginning at 7 p.m. Rising country star Easton Corbin will be headlining that Friday show after an opening performance by the Cory Farley Band, fronted by Decorah native Cory Farley.

Farley’s first taste of country music was through the speakers of an old radio in his grandfather’s barn, and from there his love of music has grown. Following graduation from Decorah High School in 2004, he ventured to Phoenix, AZ to continue his education, and he also began singing with a few local bands before becoming the lead singer in a band of his own known as Redneck Revolution. Growing a reputation for putting on a rowdy show that involved running on top of the bar, swinging from rafters, dancing on tables and jumping off stage, Farley believes putting on a successful show calls for more than mere vocal abilities. In 2010, he set out to pursue a full-time music career in Nashville, TN and now has his own namesake band that has opened up for such legendary artists as Marty Stuart. In early 2013, Farley signed a deal with an entertainment company and is now performing nationwide.

Mercury Nashville recording artist Easton Corbin has charted two No. 1 singles, won multiple awards and nominations, and performed on some of the world’s biggest stages. Many will remember a pair of songs from his 2010 self-titled debut album, “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It,” that made him the first country male artist in nearly two decades to have his first two consecutive singles reach No. 1. Additional top-five hits for the rising young country star have included “Lovin’ You Is Fun”, “All Over The Road” and “Baby Be My Love Song.” His latest single, “Are You With Me,” was the most added song on country radio the day it was released, and he is currently working on his fourth studio album.

Raw, animal power will hit the grandstand Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m. as Rice Bull Riding Co. will feature Central Bull Riders Association-sanctioned competitors battling it out for cash prizes and awards. In addition to the power and strength of bucking bulls, the show put on by Rice Bull Riding Co. also features the speed and finesse of barrel racing on horseback.

The culminating grandstand event Sunday afternoon, July 23 will feature even more action, as area drivers will race their trucks to the limit on a Tough Truck obstacle course filled with mud, jumps, hills and thrills, beginning at 1 p.m.

Grandstand Passes Online

The ability to purchase grandstand tickets online is available for this season's grandstand performances as well. The fair's webpage, www.allamakeecountyfair.org, has a "Buy Tickets Now" button link (pictured below) that will take online purchasers through a check-out process. Tickets for the grandstand events can be purchased for all five evenings of grandstand entertainment at this year's fair, or for just a single event. Those tickets can then be picked up at the "will call" window at the Fair Office building next to the fairgrounds pavilion.

Advance tickets for grandstand events can also be purchased in Waukon at the Allamakee County ISU Extension office, Waukon State Bank, Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, Kerndt Brothers Bank, Village Farm & Home and Clark Tire Pros. Tickets can also be purchased during the fair at the Fair Office or at the grandstands.

Queen Pageant Kicks It Off

The Allamakee County Fair Queen Pageant will kick off this year's fair Tuesday evening, July 18, beginning at 7 p.m., and will take place in the Fairgrounds Pavilion. The overall event will begin with presentations by local high school FFA chapter members and 4-H Expressions Day winners advancing on to the Iowa State Fair.

This year's four Fair Queen candidates - MaKayla Manning, Kasinda McKee, Danielle Stock and Carley Sweeney - will then take the spotlight to determine who will wear the crown of the 2017 Allamakee County Fair Queen.

Free Daily Entertainment

In addition to the grandstand attractions, there will also be a wide variety of free entertainment performances and activities throughout this year’s fair.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 20-22 will feature face painting and Nick's Kids Show in front of the Fairgrounds Pavilion at various times. Breakfast at the Fair will also be served each of those three days in the Appreciation Building from 7-9:30 a.m. Balloon art and caricatures will be available to enjoy in the Free Tent from 1-5 p.m. both Thursday and Friday, with caricatures also available Saturday from 1-5 p.m. at that same Free Tent location.

New this year, a Coloring Table will be offered each day of the Fair for young and old to take a break in the Open Exhibit Building. That activity will be offered from 12 noon-10 p.m. Thursday, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 12 noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Robey Memorial Library will be offering a "Story Walk" that will allow children and families to read a story by walking from page to page as they stroll the fairgrounds. That event starts at the Fairgrounds Pavilion and will be available from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, from 1-10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and again Sunday, July 23 from 12-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 20 will offer a pair of programs in the Open Exhibit Building. Julie Rotach will host a Quilts of Valor presentation from 11 a.m.-12 noon and Allamakee County Conservation Naturalist Ross Geerdes will present a workshop on "Building a Pollinator Habitat in your Yard" at 2 p.m. A Clover Kids Pet Show will also take place at the Swine Arena, beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday. The Ag Olympics, a timed obstacle relay race using various items found on the farm and open to youth and area business "celebrities", takes place in the Show Barn Thursday evening at 5 p.m.

Friday, July 21 will feature Kid's Day activities, such as STEM Robots, Paper Rockets, Lego Creation and much more, free of charge behind the Fair Office in the Appreciation Building from 12-4 p.m. Robey Memorial Library and Postville Public Library are sponsoring an "Incredible Bats & Skunks" presentation from 1-4 p.m. in the Appreciation Building, and Robey Memorial Library will also be hosting a Summer Reading Program Fun Activity Station from 12-4 p.m. as well. A Children's Cookie Decorating Event will take place at 1 p.m. in the Open Exhibit Building, and a Kids Pedal Tractor Race begins with a 3:30 p.m. registration in front of the Pavilion. A presentation on making Mosaic Stepping Stones will also take place from 3-4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon in the Open Exhibit Building.

Saturday, July 22 will involve some new activities, as well as some traditional favorites. Kids Craft Activities will take place from 11 a.m.-12 noon at the Open Exhibit Building. New this year will be a Craft Beer Contest at the Beer Tent by the grandstand from 1-4 p.m., with local home brews being judged by age-appropriate taste-testers.

Free Carnival Rides Friday and Sunday

The midway at the Allamakee County Fair will feature Amusement Associates Carnival again this year beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and again at noon Sunday. Free carnival rides will be offered, courtesy of the Allamakee County Fair Board, from 6-10 p.m. Friday night and again from 12 noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

Projects and Livestock Shows

Along with the fun and thrills of this year’s entertainment line-up, the hard work and dedication of county youth and other exhibitors will be on display each and every day of the 2017 Allamakee County Fair. The 4-H and Open Exhibit buildings on the grounds will house the efforts of local exhibitors of all ages in a wide variety of creative, useful interests, with 4-H exhibit judging taking place Tuesday, July 18, beginning at 9 a.m. and livestock entry taking place Wednesday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Open Class exhibit entry will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 18 and again from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 19.

Daily livestock shows begin Thursday, July 20 with the Swine and Sheep Judging. Friday, July 21 will feature the Beef and Rabbit Judgings, with Poultry Judging to follow the Rabbit show. Dairy cattle and goats will be judged Saturday morning, July 22, with a Dog Show that afternoon. Sunday morning, July 23 will wrap up the livestock shows with the Horse Judging.

The traditional appreciation supper and 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction will take place Sunday afternoon in the Show Barn. The supper begins at 4 p.m., with the auction getting underway at 5 p.m.

Further event details and even more schedule and other information about the 2017 Allamakee County Fair can be found in the special publication posted on the home page of The Standard website, www.waukonstandard.com and inserted in last week's (July 12) issue of The Standard or online at www.allamakeecountyfair.org.