Join the fun at the Allamakee County Fair this week

This week, July 16-20, the 161st Allamakee County Fair will be held for all to enjoy at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A wide variety of entertainment  - including some locally familiar and legendary worldwide talent - is in place to headline this year’s fair at the grandstand, along with a great deal of other activities for everyone to enjoy each and every day throughout the five-day event.

"HIGH-POWERED" GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT
Kicking off this year’s grandstand entertainment line-up Wednesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. will be a Truck and Tractor Pull featuring local tractors, pick-ups and semis as well as some powered-up regional competitors in a new line-up of classes this year.
The grandstand's musical entertainment Thursday, July 17 at 7 p.m. will feature some local familiarity kicking off the show for a country music legend. Waukon High School 1994 graduate Jason Herman will return to his native hometown of Waukon for an opening-act performance with "The New Black 7," a band described as "an intoxicating dose of country music with a shot of 90 proof rock & roll added for good measure."
Country music legend Joe Diffie will follow as this year's headline performer, playing a mix of his 12 number-one hits and 20 top-10 singles that allowed him to reign among the top entertainers in country music during the 1990s, along with some new material created in his resurgence on the country music scene. Fans will remember such hits as "John Deere Green," "Pickup Man" and "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox" from Diffie's glory days of the 1990s, but will also get a dose of his new material scheduled to be released on an upcoming album, including a recently released collaborative single, "Girl Ridin' Shotgun," in teamwork with D. Thrash and the "hick-hop" group Jawga Boys.
From musical entertainment back to high-revving action, the grandstand will come alive Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. with the excitement of “Motokazie,” as the Motokazie Supercross Championship series returns to the Allamakee County Fair as one of its stops among its summer season venues of competition. Racing on a dirt track with bumps, jumps and occasional surprises, riders from beginner to pro compete for series awards and cash prizes, including some local favorites on two and four wheels.
Raw, animal power will hit the grandstand Saturday, July 19 at 7 p.m. as area and sanctioned rodeo cowboys and cowgirls will compete in the Tuff-N-Nuff Rodeo. This new approach to a popular favorite will feature both the big, bruising, full-size bulls in addition to some surprisingly powerful miniature bulls for younger participants to ride, along with barrel racing and other rodeo action. The band "Stampede," hailing from Independence, will provide free live entertainment from 9 p.m.-12 midnight near the grandstand following Saturday night's rodeo action.
The culminating grandstand event Sunday afternoon, July 20 will feature even more action, as area drivers will drive their trucks to the limit on a Tough Truck obstacle course filled with mud, jumps, hills and thrills, beginning at 1 p.m.

GRANDSTAND PASSES ONLINE
The ability to purchase grandstand tickets online is available for this season's performances as well. The fair's webpage, www.allamakeecountyfair.org, has a "Buy Tickets Now" button link (pictured at right) that will take online purchasers through a check-out process using Google Checkout® or PayPal®. Tickets for the grandstand events can be purchased for all five evenings of grandstand entertainment at this year's fair, or for just a single event. Those tickets can either be mailed to the purchaser or picked up at the "will call" window at the grandstand entrance.
Advance tickets for grandstand events can also be purchased in Waukon at the Allamakee County ISU Extension office, Waukon State Bank, Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, Fidelity Bank & Trust, Village Farm & Home and Clark Tire Center.

QUEEN PAGEANT KICKS IT OFF
The Allamakee County Fair Queen Pageant will kick off this year's fair Tuesday evening, July 15, beginning at 7 p.m., and will take place in the Fairgrounds Pavilion. The overall event will begin with presentations by Waukon High School FFA chapter members and 4-H Communications Day winners advancing on to the Iowa State Fair.
New this year during the pageant will be an Allamakee County Royalty Showcase that will feature the 2014 Allamakee County Dairy Princess and Alternates, as well as the 2014 Allamakee County Beef Queen and Princesses.
This year's five Fair Queen candidates - Emily Hammel, Carley Mellick, Carli Quandahl, Bethany Stock and McKayla Stock - will then take the spotlight to determine who will wear the crown of the 2014 Allamakee County Fair Queen.

"A LOTTA BULL"
This year's Allamakee County Fair will also feature a four-legged celebrity, of sorts, as "Squirt," winner of the 2013 Iowa State Fair "Super Bull" Contest, will be in attendance Thursday through Saturday, July 17-19 in the Show Barn. Owned by Dick Berns, Chuck Berns and Cory Miner of the Postville area, "Squirt" won last year's Iowa State Fair "Super Bull" Contest by tipping the scales at 3,032 pounds, just 372 pounds shy of the "Super Bull" record.

FREE DAILY ENTERTAINMENT
In addition to the grandstand attractions, there will also be a wide variety of free entertainment performances and activities throughout this year’s fair.
Wednesday, July 16, Iowa State University Extension will host a "Water Rocks" Conservation Station from 4-7 p.m. in front of the Fairgrounds Pavilion. "Water Rocks" is a mobile center that teaches about water quality and soil conservation through interactive activities, such as a rainfall simulator and learning lab.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 17-19, from 12 noon to 6 p.m., will feature a magic show, balloon art and face painting in front of the Fairgrounds Pavilion. Those three days will also include a caricature artist near that same location from 1-5 p.m. Breakfast at the Fair will also be served each of those three days by area non-profit groups from 7-9:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 17 will offer a little something for everyone. An Ugly Cake Contest will allow local bakers to feature their creativity at 3 p.m. in the Open Exhibit Building. The Allamakee Master Gardeners are hosting "Ask A Master Gardener" from 2-4 p.m. as well as a workshop on "How to Build a Salad Table and Grow Your Own Salads" from 4-5 p.m. in the Open Exhibit Building. The Ag Olympics, a timed obstacle relay race open to youth and area business "celebrities", takes place in the Show Barn at 5 p.m.
Friday, July 18 will feature Kid's Day activities (see additional article inside this week's Standard) free of charge behind the Fair Office from 12-4 p.m. and a Kids Craft Activities event will take place at 1 p.m. in the Open Exhibit Building. A Children's Cookie Decorating Contest will take place at 2 p.m. in that Open Exhibit Building, and baking contests for Sugar Cookies and Brownies will follow at 5 p.m. A Kids Pedal Tractor Race begins with a 3:30 p.m. registration in front of the Pavilion.
Additionally new this year Friday will be a presentation by the Allamakee County Sheriff's Department of its new K-9 officer, "Erro," at 1 and 1:30 p.m. at the Appreciation Building on the fairgrounds. Robey Memorial Library will also be sponsoring an "Egg-citing Science" presentation from Blank Park Zoo at 2 and 3 p.m., offering the opportunity to learn about different types of eggs and some of the creatures that came from those eggs.
Saturday, July 19 will involve some new activities, as well as some traditional favorites, all at the Open Exhibit Building. The fun begins with a 4-H Clover Kids' Stuffed Animal Show open to all youth Kindergarten through third grade from 12 noon-2 p.m., with a Ring Toss competition for youth and adult teams taking place beginning at 2 p.m. The Scarecrow Contest takes place with viewer's choice judging from 4-5 p.m. for both individuals and groups.
The Open Exhibit Building will be busy once again Sunday, July 20, as a presentation on "What Judges Look for in Flower Arrangements" will begin at 12:30 p.m. and be followed by a "Make Your Own Free Mini Basket" demonstration at 1 p.m. A quilting display of unique cow wall hangings will be featured at 2 p.m. and Judith Engle will host an Artist Corner from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

AMUSEMENT MIDWAY
Superior Carnival from right here in Iowa will provide a lift to the midway entertainment at this year’s fair, and there will also be a number of new activities, contests and features for fair-goers of all ages to enjoy. Wednesday, July 16 will feature a "Buddy Night" promotion from 6-10 p.m. The 6-10 p.m. timeframe Thursday, July 17 and Saturday, July 19, as well as from 12-4 p.m. Sunday, July 20, will feature the wristband promotion for the midway rides.

PROJECTS AND LIVESTOCK SHOWS
Along with the fun and thrills of this year’s entertainment line-up, the hard work and dedication of county youth and other exhibitors will be on display each and every day of the 2014 Allamakee County Fair. The 4-H and Open Exhibit buildings on the grounds will house the efforts of local exhibitors of all ages in a wide variety of creative, useful interests.
Daily livestock shows begin Thursday, July 17 with the Swine and Sheep Judging. Friday, July 18 will feature the Beef, Rabbit and Poultry Judgings. Dairy cattle and goats will be judged Saturday morning, July 19, with a Dog Show that afternoon. Sunday morning, July 20 will wrap up the livestock shows with the Horse Judging.
The traditional appreciation supper and 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction will take place Sunday afternoon in the Show Barn. The supper begins at 4 p.m., with the auction getting underway at 5 p.m.

Further event details and even more schedule and other information about the 2014 Allamakee County Fair can be found in the special publication inserted in last week's (July 9) issue of The Standard (also available for viewing under "Special Sections") or by logging on to www.allamakeecountyfair.org.