It’s that time of year again!  With less than a week to go until the Oneida County Fair officially begins, preparations are underway to make this year’s fair one of the biggest and best yet.  While wet track conditions prevented the initial weekend’s kickoff pari-mutuel races, the weather forecast indicates that the weekend of August 12 and 13 should be dry and warm.

During the entire week of the fair, a “Free Kids Alley” will contain a number of games and activities for kids, including Saw Horse Roping, Oversized Jenga, Cornhole, and Bounce house.  The “alley” will be set up between the Event Center and the south side of the grandstand.  From Thursday through Saturday, a 9 hole mini golf course will be set up, as well as a Lazer Trailer under the direction of Adventure Quest Events.  Many vendors of food and other booths will be set up throughout the fairgrounds area.

Barring another unforeseen weather event, parimutuel races should proceed as scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, with as many makeup races as are possible in the timeframe.  The stick races will be held on Sunday between regular races.

Monday morning at 9 a.m. will kick off the first regular day of the fair, with the 4-H Dog Show.  The show is a chance for young animal handlers to demonstrate their skills running their animals through a series of courses designed to highlight obedience and training.  Once the Dog Show winners have been named, the Dairy Goat show will begin in the show arena.  The 4-H and FFA Demonstration Contest will be held at 2 p.m.  The event is a chance for local 4-H and FFA students to demonstrate their specific knowledge of an area of interest to them in a practical demonstration format.  The winner qualifies for entry into the Eastern Idaho State Fair Demonstration Competition, and has been a big success in the past for local participants.  At 4 p.m., a 4-H open kids’ craft table will be set up for anyone who wants to participate.  The 4-H Mini horse show is scheduled for 6 p.m.

As in past years, anyone who is interested will be able to sign up for entry into the UTV/ATV races to be held in conjunction with the Moto Cross show.  Entry for the ATV races will begin at 6 p.m. and the “Freestyle Moto Insanity” show will start at 7:30 p.m.  Gate admission is $6.  After the Moto X show, free fireworks will be set off by the Malad Fire Department at the fairgrounds.

Tuesday will begin earlier at 8 a.m. with the 4-H Standard Horse Show.  Entry for 4-H Home and Misc projects, and Open Class Home, Fine Arts, and Crafts categories for judging will begin at 2 p.m. and last until 6 p.m.  Also at 2 p.m. will be the 4-H Working Ranch Show.  Lamb weigh-in runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and sign-ups for Mutton Busting and Steer Riding will take place at the entry office north of the arena.  Sign-ups will also take place for the Family Fun Rodeo (on Saturday) at the same entry office at 6 p.m. until slots are filled.  Team Roping entry will start at 5 p.m., with Team Roping to follow at 6 p.m.  In the Sale Arena, Hypnotist Corrie J and Magic Ben will perform, free to the public. 

Wednesday’s first event will be the Sheep Show at 8 a.m.  Entry for Open class Home Baking and Canning will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Judging of 4-H and Open Class categories will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  FFA and 4-H beef weigh in is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 4-H and FFA swine weigh-in will take place from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Team Brandong entry is at 5 p.m., with the Team Branding event itself at 6 p.m.  A “Kids Barnyard Party” will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Kids Alley.

Thursday’s morning event is the swine show, at 8 a.m., followed by the beef show when the swine show is finished.  An open class “bucket calf” show will follow the beef show.  The NAPA customer appreciation lunch is scheduled for 12 p.m.  Entry for open class Crops, Flowers and Horticulture will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. followed by judging from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A special event will be held at 7 p.m. this year on Thursday, called “The Parade of Showmen.”  This will allow everyone who won their show category to parade in front of the crowd, including dogs, poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, beef, and others.

The Oneida County Cowboy Classic Rodeo is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., with a gate admission of $6.  Mutton Busting and Steer Riding will be featured during the rodeo.  Following the rodeo, Rough Stock will be performing for free to the public.

Friday will begin with rodeo slack at 9 a.m.  Entry for poultry and rabbits will start at 7:30 a.m. and last until 9 a.m. The Youth Livestock judging contest will take place at 10 a.m., followed by the poultry show at 12 p.m. and the rabbit show afterward.  The 4-H Round Robin event, where participants take turns showing animals from other champions, will take place at 1:30 p.m.  The always popular Scales and Tales show will start at 4 p.m. in the Sale Arena.  Admission is free.  Another Parade, this time of the Market Class winners, will take place before the rodeo at 7 p.m., followed by the rodeo at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, the final day of the fair, will begin with the Search and Rescue Breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.  The big event, the Market Animal Sale, will begin at 9:30 a.m.  A BBQ lunch will follow at 12 p.m., sponsored by the Oneida County Sale Committee.  The Golden Spike Antique Tractor Show will take place starting at 1 p.m. on the west lawn by the gun club.  The Family Fun Rodeo will start at 7:30 p.m.  An Ice Cream Give Away, sponsored by Thomas Market, will take place in conjunction with the Family Fun Rodeo.

As always, fair organizers, participants, and sponsors have worked hard in preparation for this year’s event.  Make sure to include a trip or several down to the fairgrounds to support local youth, as well as your friends and neighbors, in all the activities and competition coming to the valley next week.