Blue Jeans & Country Dreams

2024 Jewell County Fair

The Jewell County Fair will be here soon. This year’s theme is Blue Jeans & Country Dreams. The fair has several new and old 4-H projects that still need award sponsors. Most 4-H projects are for $20 with a few showmanship awards for $15. If you would like to sponsor a 4-H award for Jewell County youth, contact the Extension Office in Mankato at 785-378-3174.

Before the activities begin on Friday, July 12, at the fairgrounds in Mankato, many fair events are, and will be, already in progress. Coloring contest entries are being accepted at the extension office until Tuesday, July 2. These entries can be found at area libraries, banks, grocery stores and eating establishments. Food stand coupons will be awarded to the top three entries in all age divisions, and all the entries will be exhibited in the quonset during the fair.

Pre-fair judging will be held on Tuesday, July 9, at the Mankato Community Center, with open class quilts checked in at 9 a.m., and judging beginning at 9:30. All ages of quilters are urged to exhibit and any quilt enthusiast is invited to watch as the beautiful quilts are judged.

Following the quilt judging are 4-H photography at 10, Open Class foods at 11:30, 4-H clothing and fashion revue at noon, 4-H fiber arts (consisting of crochet, knitting, needle arts, patch-work and quilting) and 4-H foods at 1:30. There will be a bake sale of the judged food items at 2 p.m. Other quonset judging is Thursday, July 11 for 4-H, Open Class, and Scouts. Public viewing at the fair is Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14.

Open Class and Scouts may check in their exhibits Wednesday, July 10, 5 to 6 p.m. or Thursday, July 11, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 12 events include the horse show at 8 a.m., poultry-rabbit-pets show at 12:30 p.m., beef show at 5 p.m., goat roping at 7 p.m., and horse show speed events at 8:30 p.m. Buck’s Snow Cones will be there from 3 p.m to close on Friday.

Saturday, July 13 events include swine-sheep-goat show starting at 8 a.m. Family Fun Night at the Fair is on Saturday, July 13, 4 to 7 p.m. with Bouncy House and Water Slides, Catch-an-Animal, and Pedal Tractor Pull. Following at 7 p.m. is Mutton Bustin & Bull Riding with the Mayfield Horse Company and a presentation by the American Freedom Drill Team. A dance with music by Brenda Flinn starts at 9 p.m. There will be food trucks at the fair on Saturday at 4 p.m. to close including Big T’s, The Dirty Porker, Fat Fox’s and Happy Trails Brew Co.

Sunday, July 14 events are round robin showmanship contest at 10:30 a.m., Mayfield Horse Co. Youth Rodeo at 1 p.m., public fashion revue and awards program at 6 p.m. (held at the sale barn), and the livestock premium sale at 7 p.m.

Foodstand hours are Thursday, July 11, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, July 12, 7 a.m to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 13, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, July 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Quonset exhibits will be released Sunday, July 14, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No non-project animals are allowed on the fairgrounds including all pets. Any questions concerning the fair should be directed to the extension office, or contact board members – Tyler Marr, Neil Bouray, Lisa Goodheart, Lesa Peroutek, Jeff Cady, Zach Colson, Natalie Frost, Jenna Gilbert, Jared Nelson and Beth Walker.