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Iron County Fair set for Aug. 27-30 in IR

Our Town Iron River

By MARGUERITE LANTHIER, Staff Writer 4 min read

IRON RIVER -- The Iron County Fair is moving to a new weekend this year to accommodate a new carnival.

The 134th-annual fair will be Aug. 27-30 at the fairgrounds in Iron River, with entry day from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Tri State Amusements of Wisconsin will provide rides and other entertainment. Tickler Farm & Forest Products of Daggett will have a petting zoo featuring some exotic animals.

“It’s exciting to have something new,” Fair Manager Carrie Nelson said. “You have to go when you can get the carnival. We’re looking forward to this carnival because it’s new people, new rides. And I’m just excited, because we needed a change. We really needed a change.”

Daily wristbands will be $25 before the event and $30 at the fair. Weekend wristband will be $100 before the fair and $125 during the fair.

Carnivals rides will be available from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 1 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $1.50 and each ride is two to five tickets.

But with the increased costs of bringing in a new carnival and more rides, plus problems with their tractor, not much money was available to complete any major building improvements, Nelson said. They continue to do routine maintenance and general upgrades.

She hopes the new carnival will result in increased attendance and revenue.

“We have our raffle, which makes money, but we also have great sponsors. We have some wonderful sponsors,” Nelson said.

The fair also will have an arts and crafts sale and antique farm equipment will be on display daily for the duration.

The petting zoo will also be open throughout the fair.

In another new activity, fair attendees are invited to find painted rocks and one blue ribbon throughout the fairgrounds. Returned rocks can be redeemed for food and drinks at the 4-H booth. Only one prize can be collected per person.

Open class exhibit judging takes place Thursday, Aug. 27.

Thursday will be Senior Day, with a free lunch for all seniors at noon in the bandstand. Horse fun night will take place at 4:30 p.m. in the horse arena.

Three teens are vying for Miss Iron County: Amirah Gorman, 18, a senior at Forest Park High School in Crystal Falls; Winter Weeks, 17, a senior at West Iron County High School in Iron River; and Calyn Jukkala, a junior at WIC. They will recite their speeches at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the bandstand, with the contest at 7 p.m. at the rotunda.

“They’re three very nice young ladies,” Nelson said.

The Friend of the Fair Award will be awarded at 6:30 p.m. in the rotunda.

Open class judging continues Friday, with livestock judging starting at 9 a.m. and market livestock judging at 1 p.m., both in the rotunda. The market livestock auction begins at 6 p.m. in the rotunda.

Registration for the annual mud bogs takes place from noon to 4:30 p.m. at the old practice field, with racing starting at 5 p.m. Friday. Nelson expects it to be another good event. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children age 6 to 12 and free for ages 5 and younger. They recommend attendees bring their own chairs.

Horse speed events kick off Saturday’s events at 9 a.m. in the horse arena. The kiddie demolition derby, for ages 3 to 8, takes place at 2 p.m. in the rotunda, with registration to begin at noon. The event is sponsored by Bump’s Burgers. The adult demolition derby competition takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday in the grandstand. Good Ol’ Boys Promotions will again oversee the event.

The Loggers/Farmers Breakfast will start at 8 a.m. Sunday in the bandstand. An open class horse show is set for 9 a.m. in the arena, while rabbit showmanship will take place at 10 a.m. in the rotunda.

The annual backseat driver and tricycle races for children are set for 1 to 3 p.m. in the rotunda, followed by the raffle drawing at 3 p.m. The exhibits and livestock will be released at 4 p.m.

The bandstand will have music throughout the run of the fair.

Nelson noted they could not have the cornhole tournament this year, but said organizers were “grateful for what we have.”

She added, “We need people to attend and we have the market animals, we have the horses, the horse shows and such. Every part of the fair is important.”

Nelson spends a considerable amount of time in the weeks leading up to the fair at the fairgrounds office. This year she will be selling raffle tickets, parking passes -- $5 for the day or $10 for the weekend -- and taking early registrations.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.

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