County fair will unveil changes

The return of a carnival is one of many changes planned for the 84th annual Marion County Fair in Hills?boro July 23-26.

Fun Time Shows is one of the cleanest and friendliest carnivals in the Midwest, according to Kelli Savage, fair director.

?Fun Time Shows has entertainment for all ages and offers a variety of rides from gentle rides to thrill rides,? Savage said. ?They also offer a variety of games from skill to luck. When it comes to food, they have it. Anything from cotton candy to giant funnel cakes to snow cones and much more.?

Advance tickets are $17 and can be purchased at local businesses and banks. Visit www.marioncountyfairks.org for locations in your area.

An advance ticket will allow the purchaser to ride all the carnival rides for one night for $17. Advance tickets will need to be exchanged for a wristband at the carnival ticket booth once the fair starts.

Wristbands will increase to $20 once the carnival opens July 23.

Individual ride tickets are also available when the carnival opens, with rides taking one ticket per ride per person.

Kids Pedal Pull

A popular event returning this year is the Kids Pedal Pull, open to children ages 4 through 12. The event is free, and the top three finishers in each age category will receive a medal and neck ribbon. Participants also will receive an award, all complements of the pedal-pull sponsors.

The top three finishers in each age group also will be eligible to compete at the Kansas State Fair in Hutch?inson later this year.

Pre-registration begins at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, with the event starting at 7:30 p.m. The pedal tractor pull is located between the 4-H and Foods building at the fairgrounds. Contestants are encouraged to wear shoes and no flip-flops.

Rodeo event for kids

The Kraft rodeo will be retuning as one of the annual features of the fair July 23 and 24 starting at 8 p.m. each night.

Kids can get in on the action with the annual Mutton Bustin? and Calf Scramble. The first five kids registered for Mutton Bustin? or Calf Scramble will participate free, thanks in part to sponsorship. All others will have a small entry fee.

Mutton Bustin? participants must be age 6 and younger and under 60 pounds. Calf Scramble participants need to be age 10 or younger.

Awards will be given to all participants in each event, with special awards going to place finishers.

This year?s fair will again host the Kraft Rodeo Co., in cooperation with Marion County Fair Association and rodeo sponsors, providing fairgoers with two nights of one of the oldest sports in the country.

The fair?s sponsors support all aspects of the rodeo, including saddle bronc, barrel racing, bull riding, mutton bustin? and steer wrestling.

A special addition to Wednesday?s rodeo will be the Silver Buckle Drill Team from McPherson.

Local entrants are welcomed and encouraged to participate. For more information or to register, call Steve Kraft at 620-200-4081.

Tickets for one night or a two-night combination of the rodeo can be purchased at the arena ticket office. Prices are $6 for adults or $10 for both nights; children ages 6 to 12 will be $5. Children age 5 and under are free with a paid adult ticket.

Truck, tractor pull

Truck and antique tractor pull will get under way at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, in the fair arena. The event will feature local talent competing for prizes and brand bragging rights. In addition, there are several divisions of tractor competition.

Registration of trucks and tractors begin at 5 p.m. with a drivers meeting to follow at 6:45 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the arena ticket office: $6 for adults, $5 for children, ages 6 to 12 and free to those 5 and under with a paid adult ticket.

For entry information, call Myron Regier at 620-367-8277 or visit marioncountyfairks.org.

First fun run/walk

Another first for the fair will be the run or walk through Hillsboro before the parade Saturday. The inaugural Barn Stormer Fun Run/Walk will begin with check-in at the 4-H Building at 7:45 a.m. and the race will start at 8:30 a.m.

A 1-mile fun run planned for kids will begin at about 9 a.m. Participants are encouraged to pre-register by July 16 to guarantee a souvenir T-shirt.

An entry fee is required and forms can be picked up at Panzer Chiropractic in Hillsboro or downloaded at marioncountyfairks.org.

All profits from this event will benefit heating system repairs in the Foods Building. This event is open to all ages and fitness levels.

Parade, Saturday events

The annual parade has been moved to Saturday, July 26, with a 10 a.m. start.

?Farmer Style? is the theme for this year?s parade. The route begins on North Main, heads south to D Street and then on to the fairgrounds.

Following the parade, new family-oriented events are planned at the fairgrounds.

The Fun Time Shows Carnival will have a special matinee ride session. All buildings will be open to visit with vendors, view exhibits or grab a bite to eat. 4-Hers will be showcasing livestock champions in the barns, while at 11 a.m., local county celebrities will be trying their hand at goat milking in the pavilion.

Also at 11 a.m., people can get soaked at the Wet ?N Wild event located at, south of the rabbit barn.

BYO Box Turtle Races will take place at noon in the pavilion barn, with box turtle check-in at 11:45 a.m. In Memorial Park, families can enjoy the tractor show and the younger kids can climb the big trucks and equipment.

At 1 p.m., Farmer Style Barnyard Olympics will be the star event. Teams will be competing against each other in ag-related tasks for cash and bragging rights.

For an entry form and deadline, go to marioncountyfairks.org.

Demolition derby

The popular Marion County Fair Demolition Derby starts at 7 p.m. Satur?day. New events have been added and local participation is strongly encouraged.

The derby has a dedicated team of sponsors that has assisted the fair board in providing a successful and fun demo derby for more than the past 40 years, according to fair organizers.

?Thanks to the kindness of some of our fair sponsors, a limited number of special door prizes will be given away to kids who attend the demo derby,? Savage said.

Tickets can be purchased at the arena ticket booth: $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to 12. Children age 5 and under are free with a paid adult ticket.

Food options

Wagon Wheel Express will be serving a variety of its menu items in the air-conditioned Foods Building. Hours will be from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. all four days of the fair.

Other food vendors will also be available, including the Marion County 4-H clubs with a concession stand in the 4-H building from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 23-25 and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 26.

Hillsboro Lions/Leo Club will again be serving hamburgers, cheeseburgers, popcorn, fried tators and drinks during the evening arena events.

For more information, visit marioncountyfair?ks.org or call 620-381-0109.

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