2017 Van Wert County Fair now over

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The 161st Van Wert County Fair now officially over, with vendors packed up and moved on and only clean-up remaining for the County Agricultural Society (fair board).

Fair weather and moderate temperatures over the weekend brought out some nice crowds to the Van Wert County Fairgrounds.

Activities on Saturday and Sunday included a motocross competition, several Junior Fair and Senior Fair livestock shows, including the Open World Feeder Calf Show and Open World Market Lamb Show, lawnmower drag racing, the Tug-A-Truck event, horseshoes, a food eating contest, a truck and car show, and the ever-popular Animal Dress Up Contest and Demolition Derby.

Labor Day on Monday was the final day of the fair, with thoroughbred horse racing and the Junior Fair Showman of Showmen competition on tap for the day, as well as a number of livestock shows, running races, and Ultimate Air Dogs events.

Other entertainment on Monday included Gospel music by Trinity and The Talleys in the Music Pavilion.

Meanwhile, although the fair is officially over, today is a most important day for Junior Fair livestock exhibitors. The annual Junior Fair Livestock Sale will take place today, starting at 9 a.m., in the Farm Focus Arena.

A large contingent of local businesses and organizations will be on hand today to bid for the animals 4-H and FFA members have raised over the past year. Livestock categories include beef, sheep, dairy feeder calves, swine, rabbits, poultry, turkeys, and goats. Also up for bidding is a symbolic gallon of milk that provides money for dairy exhibitors who don’t sell their cows.

The livestock auction generally runs into early afternoon, while those several vendors, including the Farm Bureau Food Stand and the Venedocia Lions sausage sandwich stand, generally remain open to provide food and drinks for bidders and the families of livestock exhibitors who come to watch the proceedings.

The Van Wert independent will have a story on the auction and photos in Wednesday’s edition.