Lyndee Palte of Ottawa played with Jake Break, her father’s dog, during the 2013 Water Dog Races at the Allen County Fairgrounds.
File Photo | The Lima News
LIMA — Over 1,800 vendors will fill the Allen County Fairgrounds when Max’s Trader Days & Water Dog Races returns on Labor Day weekend for its fourteenth year.
This extremely popular event regularly sells out nearby hotels, runs out of RV camping spots (they are already sold out for 2022), and overflows regular parking so that visitors need to be directed to non-paved parking spots.
It is Max’s largest annual event, regularly bringing in vendors from 30 states, said Max McCluer, who also organizes other trading events during the year. His business is thriving. McClure said he already has a five-year contract for this event with the fairgrounds, reserving his space there through 2027, and being a self-declared “people person,” he loves what he does.
The event benefits the community by bringing in revenue to Allen County each year. It helps Lima’s hotels, restaurants, fast food businesses, gas stations, tire dealers, laundromats and grocery stores, he said. In the past, McCluer has been honored by the Mayor of Lima and the fairgrounds.
“It takes up every inch of the fairgrounds — from the racetrack to every building being packed full,” so that people either will often rent a golf cart or bring their own to ease the amount of walking required.
Guns and dogs are among the most popularly sold items but there are also many vintage and used items as well as some new ones.
“Anything and everything that you can imagine you can find there — furniture, jewelry, rabbits, chickens, ducks, pot-bellied pigs, goats and much more,” said McCluer. “If you’re a ‘treasure’ hunter, you’ll find something at that show.”
He recommends purchasing a three-day ticket because “once inside you can’t see everything in just one day.”
The event is family-friendly, offering over 40 food vendors and karaoke during the evening on Friday and Saturday.
The Water Dog Races are an elimination-style competition involving heats, each with eight dogs facing off as they undertake a 280-foot swim across the Roschman Park pond and run up a pole. The heats begin around 5 a.m., and depending on the number of dogs that enter, which is usually around 80, they can keep going until 2 a.m., McCluer said.
According to McCluer, any breed of dog may enter, but they are primarily greyhounds and other large hunting breeds.
The event annually draws racing dog owners to Lima to compete — not just from the Midwest but from roughly 10 states across the U.S., including Mississippi and New York.
While it is not legal to bet on dog races in Ohio, “it’s very exciting to watch,” McCluer said. The pole winners chase a simulated raccoon and compete for various amounts of prize money.
Tickets are $30 for a five-day early bird pass permitting entry starting Wednesday. For regular tickets, the gates will open Friday at 7 a.m. and remain open 24 hours a day until the end of the show Sunday. The cost is $20 for a three-day pass or $10 for a one-day pass.
Golf carts can be rented from National Carts at nationalcarts.com or by calling 800-940-8068 as well as Van Wert Carts & more at vanwertcarts.com or by calling 419-238-2732.
Learn more by visiting maxstraderdays.com and the event’s Facebook page.
Reach Shannon Bohle at 567-242-0399, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @Bohle_LimaNews.
