Participants of the Jr. Fair have waited all season for the upcoming week of festivities. The 4-H members will show their animals in several familiar events, contests and one new show.
File photo/The Lima News
LIMA — The Allen County Fair is back for the 2023 season. Participants of the Jr. Fair have waited all season for the upcoming week of festivities. The 4-H students will show their animals in several familiar events, contests and one new show. The Coordinator of 4-H for the Allen County Fair, Kelly Coble, weighed in on this year’s events.
“We have all of our same events,” Coble said. “We have all of our livestock shows, we have our special interest projects that are up in our youth exhibit building. One of the new shows that we are adding this year is our born-and-raised market hogs.”
Coble said the new event will feature animals born and raised in Allen County.
One event that is familiar to most and possibly new to some is the animal dress-up contests.
“We do still have our dress the animal contest,” Coble said. “Some of the other things we have is our Jr. Fair Board also puts on some fun, Jr. Fair events for all of our juniors to participate in during the week of the fair.”
Coble also said her role is to gather participants and prepare for a successful fair.
“A lot of our youth are showing their livestock or special interest projects,” Coble said. “They’re showing the hard work and dedication of completing a project. Whether they are raising those livestock animals, taking care of them, learning how to groom them or how to properly show them. In special interest, kids are learning new skills, whether it be cooking, sewing or woodworking. I think it takes some hard work and some discipline to be able to do the work over the summer.”
Fortunately, since COVID the program has seen an increase in participation. Coble said there are around 200 new 4-H members this year.
The fair will begin Friday, Aug. 18.
• Check-in time for Jr. Fair Market Hog exhibits only, 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.
• Market Hogs weigh in, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
• Rabbit check-in and weigh-in, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
• Check-in time for Jr. Fair Poultry exhibitors only, 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
• Horse Check-in, noon until 9 p.m.
• Market Hogs weigh-in, 2 p.m. until 7 p.m
• Llama/Alpaca check-in, 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.
• Check-in time for all other Jr. Fair livestock exhibits, 2-9 p.m.
• The Allen County Fair officially opens, at 4 p.m.
The remainder of the schedule can be found on their website at allencofair.com.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
