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Kurt Johnson
That was a fair to remember.
This year’s version of the Hamilton County Fair made up for a scaled down COVID event in 2020, and then some. By the end of a busy seven-day celebration there was no mistaking that folks around here are proud of their ag-based heritage and were ready to get together and have some fun.
It was a hot one, to be sure, with the heat and humidity combining to make the first few days a test of character. That too reflects our heritage, but as Keith Wasem said in front of a sold-out crowd at the grandstands Saturday night, that’s what makes the corn grow around here so we’ve long since learned to live with it. Amen to that.
Speaking of Saturday night, that felt like the epicenter of what the Hamilton County Fair is all about, with a crowd estimated at 2,000-plus on hand, all in a very good mood ready to enjoy the trailer races, midway, food, refreshments, and anything else the Ag Society board had dialed up on the agenda. That group deserves a tremendous amount of credit for persevering through a most challenging 2020 fair season and putting together a feel-good event a year later, the 150th anniversary of the organization. It’s hard to keep the candle burning for seven straight days and in fact there were some tired board members, kids, animals and fair fans by the end, but it was all worth it.
Despite all the added events, kids and animals were again the focus in many ways, which is at the heart of this annual tradition. The News-Register proudly covered many of the animal shows, taking lots of pictures of kids and their critters and projects, which will be featured in a special results edition next week.
As is always the feeling after the fair is over and the carnival is gone, it’s a slippery slope right into fall now with school bells ready to ring and all that brings with it. For all practical purposes summer is over now, but for one full week Hamilton County remembered, and celebrated, who we are and where we came from.
Kurt Johnson
