Plans being finalized for 2020 Allamakee County Fair scheduled for next week

The Allamakee County Fair Board is finalizing plans for the 2020 Allamakee County Fair, an event that has been modified this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation guidelines put in place as a result of that virus. Still being planned for its original timeframe of next week, many of the same fair events are still being held as planned but with modifications to either schedules or format, beginning next Tuesday, July 7 with the first 4-H animal show and lasting through Sunday, July 12. A full schedule of this year’s Allamakee County Fair events can also be found on Page 24 in the July 1, 2020 edition of The Standard.

LIVESTOCK SHOWS LIMITED IN PUBLIC VIEWING BUT WILL BE LIVESTREAMED
ISU Allamakee County Extension is also finalizing its modified plans for the 2020 Allamakee County Fair. All 4-H and FFA youth activities will occur in modified fashion with specific guidelines implemented, according to mitigation restrictions advised by Allamakee County Public Health and Iowa 4-H. This year’s livestock shows are being limited in their public seating due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but all livestock shows will be livestreamed on both the Allamakee County 4-H Facebook Page, as well as the Allamakee County Fair Facebook Page. The schedule for this year’s livestock shows has been juggled a bit to accommodate social distancing in available barn space and can be found within the overall schedule of events for this year’s Allamakee County Fair printed on Page 24 of this week’s edition of The Standard.

Animals will not be housed in the livestock barns for the entire length of the fair, as in previous years. According to schedule information provided by the Allamakee County ISU Extension Office, only beef, dairy and swine will be housed overnight (for one night), each checking in the day before their actual livestock show and then being released for departure following their show. Horses, sheep, meat goats, rabbits, poultry and dogs will check in approximately an hour to a half hour prior to their respective shows, the schedule of which can be found printed on Page 24 of this same edition of The Standard. Also new for this year, a Premium Auction will take the place of the traditional Livestock Auction. Additional information about this year’s auction can be found in the shaded box below this article, and additional questions can be addressed by emailing allamakee4h@iastate.edu or by calling 563-568-6345.

THE CAMINOS WILL KICK OFF THE ENTERTAINMENT
The area band with so many local ties, The Caminos, will still be living up to its billing as this year’s opening musical act as Waukon native musicians  Jeffrey Bahr, James Deeney and Jason Herman, along with fellow band member Patrick Longmire, Jr., will perform live in the middle grassy area of the fairgrounds in front of the Pavilion Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m. The event is being offered as free will donation admission and the general public is invited to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets, keeping social distancing in mind when gathering.

FAIR ROYALTY TEAM TO BE INTRODUCED
During that performance of The Caminos, the Allamakee County Fair Royalty Team will be introduced. With this year’s changes to the Iowa State Fair resulting in no Iowa State Fair Queen contest taking place for 2020, there will not be an actual queen contest taking place at the Allamakee County Fair either. However, all candidates who registered to take part in this year’s Allamakee County Fair Queen event will, instead, be recognized all together as this year’s Fair Royalty Team. Two area young ladies, Madelyn Moser of Waukon and Shara Cota of Harpers Ferry, will be introduced as this year’s Fair Royalty Team at that Thursday, July 9 performance of The Caminos. Their full biographies and photos will be published in the July 8 edition of The Standard.

FREE ENTERTAINMENT TO WATCH OR BE A PART OF
Prior to that performance by The Caminos, the Allamakee County Fair Board is coordinating a local Talent Showcase of all ages, beginning at 5 p.m. Any and all talent is welcome to perform, and if there is enough interest additional talent showcase events may also take place Saturday or Sunday as well. To sign up to perform contact the Allamakee County Fair Board by email at allamakeefair@gmail.com or through the Allamakee County Fair Facebook page. Another bit of free entertainment being planned to either take part in or observe is an Allamakee County version of ‘Family Feud’. Teams of five members consisting of family, friends or coworkers can participate and should contact the Allamakee County Fair Board via Facebook or by emailing allamakeefair@gmail.com. The first six groups to sign up will be guaranteed a spot in this first-ever event for the Allamakee County Fair.

The wonder and amazement of magician and Waukon native Jonathan May will also be available daily on the free stage, along with a caricature artist. Kiddie Pedal Tractor Races and a Kiddie Tractor Pull are also being planned to take place, along with such other events as a Lego Contest, Gunny Sack Races, a Bean Bag Tournament, Reading with Royalty and a variety of other demonstrations all scheduled throughout Thursday through Sunday of this year’s fair. Check out the event schedule printed on Page 24 of this week’s edition of The Standard for additional details.

GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
Three of this year’s originally scheduled grandstand events at the Allamakee County Fair will still be taking place in the new modified format. Grandstand seating for those three events will be at 50% capacity, with social distancing recommended, according to current mitigation measures in place regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those grandstand events will start off Friday, July 10 with a Truck and Tractor Pull beginning at 7 p.m., with the ATV/UTV event beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 11. The grandstand performances will wrap up Sunday afternoon with the Tough Truck competition scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Tickets for the grandstand events are still being sold in advance due to the seating capacity being limited for all those shows. The office at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds will be open for ticket sales again Wednesday, July 1 from 4-7 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online by visiting www.allamakeecountyfair.org. Tickets must be purchased for each individual evening performance, as there will be no ticket books this year. Ticket prices per performance are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 10 and under.

SUPPORTING THIS YEAR’S FAIR
Fair Board officials are welcoming donations toward this year’s operating expenses, in lieu of the traditional sponsorship packages. Those wishing to make such a donation are welcome to do so by mailing their donation to Allamakee County Agricultural Society, P.O. Box 208, Waukon, IA 52172 or dropping off their donations at The Standard newspaper office, 15 First Street NW in Waukon. Additional questions may be answered by emailing allamakeefair@gmail.com.