JOIN The FUN AT THE Allamakee County Fair THIS WEEK

Bon Jovi Tribute Band to headline Friday's grandstand; Variety of activities and events planned

After having to be held in modified form last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Allamakee County Fair is expected to return in full force for its 168th year this week, July 21-25 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A wide variety of entertainment 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.

GRANDSTAND STAR POWER AND HORSE POWER

Kicking off this year’s grandstand entertainment line-up Wednesday, July 21 at 7 p.m. will be a Truck and Tractor Pull featuring local trucks and tractors as well as some powered-up regional competitors in a variety of high-revving classes. Free admission is being granted to all local military veterans for that truck and tractor pull event.

Motocross returns to the Allamakee County Fair Thursday, July 22, as 74 Promotions Motocross brings its racing series to the local dirt track, beginning at 7 p.m. Some local favorites and some series travelers will provide all the thrills, chills and spills in a variety of competition classes.

The Friday evening, July 23 music performance in the grandstand will feature a mix of northeast Iowa flavor and a tribute to one of the greatest rock bands of all times. Last year’s canceled headlining musical act, Slippery When Wet - The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute, will rock the stage with music from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Bon Jovi, with Flatland Ridge opening for that tribute rock sensation with a little more Iowa flavor and variety beginning at 7 p.m.

Slippery When Wet - The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute was formed in 2003 by frontman Jason Morey after he was often mistaken for Jon Bon Jovi himself, most notably by celebrity comedian Dave Chappelle. It helped that he grew up listening to classic Bon Jovi albums such as “Slippery When Wet” and “New Jersey”. Morey was featured as the legendary Jon Bon Jovi in the 2018 Legends in Concert show in Las Vegas, NV, the most famous impersonator show in the world. Slippery When Wet has played over 1,500 shows throughout the U.S. alone and has traveled to Africa, Mexico, Singapore, Puerto Rico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

Friday’s opening act, Flatland Ridge, features band members based out of the Oelwein and Independence areas, including Gabe Schmidt on bass and vocals, Zach Thein on guitar, Cory McBride on drums and vocals, and Travis McBride on guitar, keyboard, fiddle and vocals. Although the band’s members have their roots planted in northeast Iowa, opening act Flatland Ridge offers a much broader show by playing some of the best country, classic rock and pop hits created over the years, traveling throughout the Midwest to entertain.

The power and grace of a full-blown rodeo show will also return to the grandstand Saturday, July 24 at 6 p.m. after having to miss out last year, as Iowa-based Rogue Rodeo from Albia will bring back such events as Bareback Riding, Calf Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, and Mutton Bustin’ for the youngsters. For further details on Rogue Rodeo or to register for any of the events, visit www.roguerodeo.com.

The culminating grandstand event Sunday afternoon, July 25 will feature even more action, as area drivers will race their trucks to the limit on a Tough Truck obstacle course. Filled with mud, jumps, chills and thrills, the four-wheeled fun begins at 1 p.m.

GRANDSTAND PASSES ONLINE

The ability to purchase grandstand tickets online is again available for this season's grandstand performances. The fair's webpage, www.allamakeecountyfair.org, has a "Buy Tickets" ticket link that will take online purchasers through a check-out process. 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 then be picked up at the "will call" window at the Fair Office building next to the Fairgrounds Pavilion.

Advance tickets for grandstand events can also be purchased at the Allamakee County ISU Extension office in Waukon, Waukon State Bank, Freedom Bank in Waukon and Postville, Kerndt Brothers Bank in Waukon and Lansing and Village Farm & Home in Waukon, New Albin Savings Bank and Peoples State Bank in Harpers Ferry. Tickets can also be purchased during the fair at the Fair Office or at the grandstand.

QUEEN PAGEANT KICKS IT OFF

The Allamakee County Fair Queen Pageant will kick off this year's fair Tuesday evening, July 20, beginning at 7 p.m., and will take place in the Fairgrounds Pavilion. The overall event will begin with presentations by local high school FFA chapter members and 4-H Expressions Day winners advancing on to the Iowa State Fair. This year's two Fair Queen candidates - Madelyn Moser and Morgan Stortz - will then take the spotlight to determine who will wear the crown of the 2021 Allamakee County Fair Queen.

NEW CONTESTS THIS YEAR

New to the Fair this year will be a handful of contests that will include a local competition for the statewide popular Bill Riley Talent Search, taking place at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Fairgrounds Pavilion and offering a chance for local talent - ages two to 21 - to earn a spot in the Iowa State Fair competition held in Des Moines in August. Additional information on how to register for this free contest can be found on the Allamakee County Fair website at www.allamakeecountyfair.org.

Also new this year will be a Lip Sync Contest scheduled for Friday, beginning at 4:30 p.m. with check-in, in the Pavilion building. A Beard Contest will also be taking place in the Pavilion, beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, and a couple rounds of Family Feud are also scheduled in the Pavilion at 5 p.m. Thursday and at approximately 2 p.m. - following the Bill Riley Talent Search program - Saturday afternoon.

FREE DAILY ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to the grandstand and other contest attractions, there will also be a wide variety of free entertainment performances and activities throughout this year’s fair for all to enjoy at no charge and at various venues throughout the Fairgrounds. Every day of the fair, Wednesday through Sunday, Robey Memorial Library will feature its Story Walk. Youth and adults can read a popular children’s story each of those days by walking their way around the fairgrounds, beginning at the Robey Memorial Library booth in the Open Exhibit Building.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Waukon native Jonathan May of Mr. Magic Productions will be presenting a series of mystifying magic shows in the White Building in the middle of the south edge of the Fairgrounds property. Mr. Magic will present shows for all ages to enjoy at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and again at both 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, with an adult magic and comedy show also scheduled for 10 p.m. Friday in the Beer Garden near the grandstands.

The White Building will also feature a trio of free entertainment activities Thursday through Sunday, with Face Painting from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Likewise, The Nose Caricaturist will be sketching images in that same location from 4-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 3-8 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, with Balloon Twisting presentations taking place from 1-5 p.m. both Thursday and Friday, and from 1-3 p.m. Saturday.

OTHER ACTIVITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN

The Open Exhibit Building will be overflowing with events and activities each day of the fair, the following of which require registration at www.allamakeecountyfair.org and may require a small fee for participation. A Balloon Art Making Class will be offered Thursday (for ages 6-10) and Friday (for ages 11 and older) at 11 a.m. those two days. Thursday will feature Cupcake Decorating with Denzel at 5 p.m., along with Adult Painting with Lori Ross at 6 p.m. Friday activities in the Open Exhibit Building include Fairy Light Jars at 10 a.m., Dream Catcher Making at 1 p.m. and Gnome Making at 3 p.m.

The Fairgrounds Pavilion will also feature several activities throughout the Fair that may require either pre-registration or a small participation fee. Wednesday will feature Kids Rock Painting at 3:30 p.m. and Adult Rock Painting at 4:30 p.m., and Thursday will include Kids Painting with Lori Ross at 3 p.m.

There will also be Pour Painting taking place in the Pavilion Saturday at 11 a.m. Again, these previously mentioned activities in both the Open Exhibit Building and Pavilion require pre-registration, which can be done at www.allamakeecountyfair.org under the “Open Class Events” tab at the top of the website page.

ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES

Additional activities taking place in the Open Exhibit Building that do not require registration or a participation fee include a Pretty or Ugly Cake Decorating Contest Thursday, with entry drop-off at 4:30 p.m. and judging to take place at 6 p.m. A Lego Contest will take place at 4 p.m. Friday, and Saturday will feature Cookie Decorating at 10 a.m. and a Cookie Cook-Off Contest with entry drop-off at 2:45 p.m. and tasting/judging beginning at 3 p.m.

In addition to all the other activities being offered at this year’s fair, the Ag Olympics, a timed obstacle relay race using various items found on the farm and open to youth and area business "celebrities", takes place in the Show Barn Thursday, July 22 at 5 p.m. A Kids Pedal Tractor Race will take place at 3 p.m. in front of the Fairgrounds Pavilion Friday, July 23.

Lil’ Dale and the Legends will also be providing free entertainment Saturday, July 24, beginning at 5 p.m. in the air-conditioned Fairgrounds Pavilion. Sunday will also feature the “Barn Praising” Church Service by Iron Ridge Church at 10 a.m. in the Show Barn, as well as a Corn Hole Tournament at 11 a.m. outside the entrance to the grandstand.

FRIDAY IS KID'S DAY AT THE FAIR

Friday, July 23 is Kid’s Day at the fair and will feature a wide variety of free activities behind the Fair Office in the Kids Center Building from 1-4 p.m. That Kids Center will also be home to a number of other activities throughout the fair, including a Kids Pedal Tractor Pull Wednesday, beginning with registration at 5 p.m., Bracelet Making throughout the day Thursday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Melty Beads Making throughout the day Friday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Cloud Dough Making throughout the day Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Marble Painting Sunday afternoon from 12-3 p.m.

PROJECTS AND LIVESTOCK SHOWS

Along with the fun and thrills of this year’s entertainment and activity line-up, the hard work and dedication of county youth and other exhibitors will be on display each and every day of the 2021 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 animal shows and judging begin Thursday, July 22 with the Swine Judging at 8 a.m. and Sheep Judging at 1 p.m., with a 3 p.m. Clover Kid Pet Show taking place in the Swine Arena. Friday, July 23 will feature the Beef Judging at 9 a.m. and Rabbit Judging at 3 p.m., with Poultry Judging to follow the Rabbit show.

Dairy cattle and goats will be judged Saturday morning, July 24 at 8:30 a.m., with the Pee Wee Dairy Show at 2:30 p.m. and a Dog Show at 4 p.m. that afternoon. Sunday morning, July 25 will wrap up the livestock shows with the Horse Judging, beginning at 9 a.m.

The traditional appreciation supper and 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction will take place Sunday afternoon in the Appreciation Center. The supper begins at 4 p.m., with the auction getting underway at 5 p.m.

NEW MIDWAY CARNIVAL

The midway at the Allamakee County Fair will be new this year and features a full array of rides, games and carnival food provided by Spectacular Amusements. Rides will be in operation from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, from 3-10 p.m. Friday, from 1-4 p.m. and again from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, and from 12-4 p.m. Sunday. Wristbands allowing a full day ride session will be available for purchase both in advance and at the Fair, as are Mega Bands that allow rides during the entire fair.

Further event details, schedule and other information about the 2021 Allamakee County Fair can be found in the full page advertisement in the July 21, 2021 edition of The Standard, and also online at www.allamakeecountyfair.org.