After a year away, the Fairbury Fair returns with the theme “Fishing for Fun at the Fairbury Fair” for the 145th event next week.
Organizers are excited about this year’s fair which runs Aug. 18-22. Visitors to the swine building will notice all new pens in a cleaned-up area and floral hall returns with new LED lighting.
“That will be a really nice addition,” said Gunner Sullivan, fair board president. “Each year we are trying to make improvements.”
With axe throwing increasing in popularity, it’s only appropriate the new fad is coming to the fair. Participants throw into a cage in an open car trailer. Another new highlight includes a barbeque cookoff sanctioned by a leading organization.
“The judging is very secret so nobody knows who cooked anything,” admits Sullivan.
The Kansas City Barbeque Society event featuring ribs and chicken is limited to 20 teams. The payout is $1700 to the winner along with a Big Green Egg.
A pinewood derby will allow kids to build a car as Driscoll Motors is supplying car kits. Anyone interested can visit Compass Insurance, Dave’s Supermarket or Driscoll’s to choose their car number. More information is available online.
The talent show has been moved to Thursday night at 5 p.m. featuring family musical entertainment by Johnathan Len as well. This is the same evening as the Luehr’s Ideal Rides one ticket ride night and rock band Protégé.
“Everything on Thursday night is free,” noted Sullivan.
Military Day is planned for Saturday with a brass band performance and activities under a tent. A special grandstand event is planned to welcome those home who weren’t welcomed home before.
Golf cart enthusiasts won’t be disappointed as a golf cart scavenger hunt and golf cart rodeo will take place around town. A golf cart raffle is also underway where the person selling the winning ticket gets $500. The fair will use that money for improvements and overhead costs.
Country superstars Diamond Rio perform in front of the grandstand Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. with popular regional band Brushville starting at 6:30 p.m. The stands open at 5 p.m. Rock fans will flock to the fair Friday for the Heart to Heartbreakers tribute band rock show at 7 p.m. along with the Ozzy Osborne tribute known as Crazy Babies. An AC/DC tribute band plays in the beer garden later Friday from 9-11 p.m.
“The wood carver is coming back – he’s very entertaining,” added Sullivan.
Members of the Prairie Farmers 4-H and parents will once again be serving up deliciousness at the club’s food stand in the former Odd Fellows area. The stand was completely rebuilt in 2019.
“They had a great fair in 2019. They are coming back this year and we are looking forward to that,” Sullivan said.
If you are craving an early morning breakfast, the Ladies Auxiliary will serve breakfast each morning starting around 6 a.m.
Saturday is full of activities like the 5K run and 2-mile walk, kids baggo tournament, a DJ and stock car racing. Johnny McGuire with opening act Eric Chesser perform in the beer garden from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Sunday includes the community worship service, kids drawing, antique farm equipment display, chili cookoff, baggo tournament, wood carving silent auction and the demolition derby near the grandstand.
More details can be found at www.thefairburyfair.com.
