Kosciusko County Fair To Begin July 10
WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Fair is marking a major milestone as it celebrates turning a century old this year in 2016.
This year, in honor of 100 years of community support that has built and maintained the fun, family-oriented event that highlights agriculture and celebrates the interests of the entire population, the theme of this year’s fair is “100 Years of Memories.”
Those memories will leap to life on the first day of the fair, July 10, during the annual opening day parade. The parade is this year is starting in Boggs Industrial Park and taking center all the way to Bronson. Line up starts at 2 p.m. and the parade will begin at 3:30 p.m. Anyone who is interested in being a part of the parade needs to enter the park via market.
Livestock and 4-H project judging will occur throughout the week, ending with the annual Sale of Champions. Consumer grilling and open class competitions will also take place at staggered times Sunday through Saturday.
Rides, special events and entertainment all get underway on Monday.At 6 p.m. the carnival midway and merchants tent open, and at 7 p.m. the cowboys of Broken Horn Rodeo saddle up to do their thing in front of the grandstand.
Tuesday, July 12, is kid’s day at the fair: from 9 a.m. on, bring the youngsters for all sorts of age-appropriate activities. Chief among these will Jedi training from 5-6 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. There will be both male and female Jedis instructing the training. Any child interested in becoming a Jedi is encouraged to bring a light saber to the training sessions. There will be a visit from the Dark Side as Darth Vader will be at the fairgrounds. Tickets are required for this opportunity, however, and will be sold beginning June 1. There will also be a Silly Safari. That night at 7 p.m., Monteith Tire will be sponsoring a Monster Truck bash.
Wednesday there will be a Micro 600 along with Junior Micro Sprints and Thursday the sounds of KOI drag racing will fill the neighborhood.
The fourth annual Shaggy Memorial Demolition Derby begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and Saturday wrapping up the week will be Truck and Tractor pulls with Antique pulls starting at 10 a.m.
Free entertainment options on the fairgrounds this year will include an intriguing animal act by Ada Smieya-Blaszak and her son, Brunon Blaszak, who take great pride in taking care of their magnificent royal Bengal tigers. All week long, three times a day, the Blaszak’s will entertain and educate about the habits of the tigers and why they are an endangered species. There will also be an act called High Flying Pages Aerial and Equestrian Thrill Show, which offers a trapeze and tightrope act, the Wheel of Destiny and comedy on horseback.
During the fair there will be an illusionist, who will perform illusions and balloon art as he wanders through the fairgrounds.
All grandstand entertainment begins at 7 p.m., but seating begins at 6 p.m. Grandstand tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and younger are free.
General admission fees are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and younger are free.
Wristbands for carnival rides will be available. The rides will be open from 6 -11 p.m. Monday, July 11, 2-11 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, and from 3-11 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 through Saturday, July 16.