Plenty of new events at fair
A game featuring large plastic balls, expanded children’s giveaways and daily shuttle services are among the new features planned for this year’s Fairbury Fair, which runs through Sunday.
Fairgoers can enjoy “Knockerball Max” which includes plastic balls in a large area where individuals try to knock each other off of a field. The game can be played as teams or singles.
“We are looking forward to a really good time with that,” admits Fairbury Fair manager and vice-president Sally Goembel.
The kid raffle, which had been held on Sunday afternoons in the past, is being split between two days this year. A drawing for those between the ages of 8 and 12 will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m. with one for any child through age 7 being held on Sunday. Both events will be held in the grandstand.
Should you need help navigating the fairgrounds, a daily shuttle service will be offered throughout the five days. All of the fair golf carts have seats so any fair board member can help get you where you need to go if you inquire at the office.
Daily attractions for kids include a Kid Bucks game show and the Bear Hollow wood carvers who are returning for the second year in a row.
“We’ll have 12 carvings by the end of the fair and they’ll all be open for silent auction bids. Sunday will be the day that we let people know if they won the carvings,” said Goembel.
A petting zoo complete with pony rides and exotic animals will dazzle visitors and the legendary dunk tank makes a return.
“We are putting race car drivers in there, people from the community and the mayor,” Goembel notes.
There will be no shortage of music and entertainment in 2018, even though the fair has eliminated music Wednesday and Thursday nights in the grandstand. The beer tent will feature a DJ Wednesday night, solo acoustic act on Thursday and the popular band Jury’s Out on Friday.
“We have (Jury’s Out) about every year because he does a fantastic job and brings in a great crowd,” explained fair board president Leroy Rodriguez.
The Indigos return for a Saturday night performance – something Rodriguez refers to as “entertaining and uplifting.” Jawbone Stew will entertain participants of the chili cookoff and baggo tournament on Sunday.
Other fair highlights include the Red Cross Bloodmobile Wednesday from 2:30-6:30 p.m., euchre tournament on Friday afternoon, kids baggo tournament on Saturday, and the Fairbury Fair 5K run or two-mile walk Saturday morning with registration at 6:45 a.m. and an 8 a.m. start.
More information can be obtained from the fair’s brand new website: www.fairburyfair.com or by searching for Fairbury Fair on Facebook.
