Wednesday, July 11th, the annual Barton County Fair kicks off with something for everyone. I hope your calendar for the week includes a visit or two to the fairgrounds west of town. No doubt 4-H families are busy putting the finishing touches on entries that will be exhibited and volunteers are busy getting display cases set up, dusted off and decorated for fairgoers’ enjoyment.
Remember, anyone who is a Kansas resident may enter items in our fair. You may pick up a fair book at our office if you would like to see the open class categories. Most items will need to be brought to Expo II between 8 a.m. and noon on Wednesday, but open class foods and all horticulture and crop entries (4-H and open) come in on Thursday, July 12th from 7:30–9:30 a.m.
I want to encourage your attendance at the Business Appreciation Breakfast which is set for Thursday, July 12, with serving beginning at 7:30 a.m. The pancakes and sausage breakfast is provided by our good friend and 4-H supporter, Dick Dougherty, and his family. It’s a wonderful opportunity to thank our business community for their support throughout the year. Our current Extension Council Board members are invited to help serve and 4-H clubs provide some very nice door prizes. If you need to be at your workplace by 8 a.m. I’m sure we will have breakfast ready to serve by 7:15. I hope to see you there!
Friday evening come to the stage in Expo II beginning at 6:30 p.m. to watch 4-H’ers share a mini-fashion show. We have had fun working with The Buckle, Beautiful Beginnings, Rana Luna and Bling to provide some of the fashions as well as letting 4-H’ers model garments they entered in the fair.
The last day of the Fair, July 15, is certainly a busy one. A Community Sunrise Service sponsored by area churches will be in the Outdoor Stage area beginning at 8:15 a.m. A breakfast for 4-H members, sponsored by the 4-H Holding Board, will follow the service. Round robin showmanship fills the morning with the presentation of awards and sale of champions in the afternoon. From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the 4-H beef and pork barbecue will be served in Expo I or at the drive through on the runway. There should be a limited number of tickets at the door for this tasty meal consisting of BBQ beef on a bun, fresh veggies, baked beans and tea. Tickets are $8.
I have had just enough room to highlight a few of the Barton County Fair activities. A complete fair schedule is available at www.bartoncountyfair.com. I hope to see you at the Fair!

Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her at 620-793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu.