Join the fun at the Allamakee County Fair this week

Legendary female country music star Terri Clark to headline Friday's grandstand; Free carnival throughout the fair

This week, July 18-22,  the 165th 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 18 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 19 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 legendary and newcomer perspectives will hit the grandstand stage Friday evening, July 20, beginning at 7 p.m. Award-winning legendary female artist Terri Clark will be headlining that Friday show after an opening performance by rising star Nick Hickman.

A modern country act hailing from Knoxville, TN, Hickman is now a Nashville-based singer-songwriter trying to work his way up the country music charts. His best-known releases since moving to Nashville have included such tunes as “Rain,” “Tipsy” and, most recently, “Live For Tonight,” a duet he joined forces with fellow country music chart climber Amber Hayes to record. In his relatively young career, Hickman has opened for such major artists as Blake Shelton, Lee Brice, Justin Moore and Jason Aldean.

Hailing from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Terri Clark will be returning to Allamakee County this Friday after making stops in both Lansing and New Albin this past winter as a featured performer aboard the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train. Her performance at the Allamakee County Fair will be part of a tour with her own band, and she has also recently been making a touring circuit with fellow female country music artists Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss on their “Chicks With Hits” Tour.

Clark has recorded 13 top-ten singles, including six tunes that rose to number-one spots on charts in her native Canada and the United States. Some of those chart-topping hits include her story-telling tunes of “Better Things To Do,” “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” “Girls Lie Too,” “Northern Girl” and “I Just Wanna Be Mad.”

The power and grace of a full-blown rodeo show will hit the grandstand Saturday, July 21 at 6 p.m. as Iowa-based Rogue Rodeo from Albia will bring such events as Bareback Riding, Calf Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding and Mutton Bustin’ for the youngsters. See further details on Rogue Rodeo and how to sign up for events on Page 2A of this week’s issue of The Standard.

The culminating grandstand event Sunday afternoon, July 22 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 available 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 in Waukon, Kerndt Brothers Bank in Waukon and Lansing, Village Farm & Home in Waukon, Clark Tire Pros in Waukon and FreedomBank in Monona and Postville. Tickets can also be purchased during the fair at the Fair Office or at the grandstand.

Queen Pageant kicks it off

The Allamakee County Fair Queen Pageant will kick off this year's fair Tuesday evening, July 17, 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 - Madalyn Ellingson, Katelyn Leiran, Makayla Manning and Faith Palmer - will then take the spotlight to determine who will wear the crown of the 2018 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 for all to enjoy.

Every day of the fair, Wednesday through Sunday, Robey Memorial Library will feature its Story Walk from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, 1-10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 12-4 p.m. Sunday. Youth and adults can read a popular children’s story each of those days by walking their way around the fairgrounds, beginning at the Robey Memorial Library booth in the Fairgounds Pavilion.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 19-21 will feature Nick's Kids Show in the Green Commercial Building 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. In the Green Commercial Building Thursday-Saturday, face painting will be taking place from 12-6 p.m. and balloon art and clowns will be available to enjoy from 1-5 p.m.

Reading with Royalty will take place at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Allamakee County Fair 2017 Queen Danielle Stock and reigning Allamakee County Dairy Princess Grace Howe will be among some of those royal readers in the Open Exhibit Building.

The Open Exhibit Building will be overflowing with events and activities each day of the fair. Thursday, July 19 a String Art Class will be presented at 1 p.m. with a Dehydration Presentation by Master Gardeners taking place at 3 p.m. Contestants can drop off their pretty or ugly decorated cake from 4:30-5 p.m. for the Cake Decorating Contest judging that will take place at 6 p.m., with a Cake Decorating demonstration being held at 5 p.m.

A Fairy Garden Making Workshop will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, July 20 in the Open Exhibit Building, with Canvas Painting Classes being offered for children at 1 p.m. and for adults at 3 p.m. A Children’s Cookie Decorating Event will also be held at 1 p.m. Tie-Dye Fun will be offered at 5 p.m.

The Saturday, July 21 Open Exhibit Building sessions will include an Essential Oils 101 Class at 11 a.m. followed by a Make & Take Oil Demonstration at 12 noon. A Sign Making Activity for both children and adults will begin at 1 p.m., with a Beneficial Bug Craft taking place at 3 p.m. A Chili Cook-Off Contest will receive entries from 4:30-5 p.m. with a tasting event and winner announcement of the Chili Cook-Off Contest being held from 5-6 p.m. A Pie Eating Contest will wrap up the offerings in the Open Exhibit Building Sunday, July 22 at 1 p.m.

In addition to all the other activities being offered at this year’s fair, 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, July 19 at 5 p.m. Friday, July 20 will feature Kid's Day activities, such as a LEGO® Contest, paper rockets, activities with the Allamakee County Conservation Department, wellness activities with local first responders and much more, free of charge behind the Fair Office in the Appreciation Building from 12-4 p.m. A Scouts of America Pinewood Derby demonstration will take place from 2-6 p.m. and a Kids Pedal Tractor Pull will be held in front of the Fairgounds Pavilion at 4 p.m., with registration beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Free carnival attractions every day

The midway at the Allamakee County Fair will feature Kid Again Inflatables with something for all ages. Beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 12-4 p.m. Sunday, Boot Camp Challenge Obstacle Course, Screamer 22’ Double Slide, Butter Bean Boxing and Full Court Press will be available to challenge and thrill fair-goers, with Radar Speed Check and Tiger Bouncer also being available Thursday only and Zip Line and Carousel Bouncer added to the mix Friday through Sunday. All the carnival attractions are available at no cost to fair-goers this year.

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 2018 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 17 and livestock entry taking place Wednesday, July 18 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 17 and again from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 18.

Daily animal shows and judging begin Thursday, July 19 with the Swine Judging at 8 a.m. and Sheep Judging at 1 p.m., with a 3 p.m. Clover Kid Pet Show taking place in the Swine Arena. Friday, July 20 will feature the Beef Judging at 9 a.m. and Rabbit Judging at 3 p.m., with Poultry Judging to follow the Rabbit show. Dairy cattle and goats will be judged Saturday morning, July 21 at 8:30 a.m., with the Pee Wee Dairy Show at 2:30 p.m. and a Dog Show at 4 p.m. that afternoon. Sunday morning, July 22 will wrap up the livestock shows with the Horse Judging, beginning at 9 a.m.

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 2018 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 11) issue of The Standard, or online at www.allamakeecountyfair.org.