(Spirit Lake)—Some big changes are in store for this year’s Dickinson County 4-H and FFA Fair which gets underway this Friday at the fairgrounds in Spirit Lake. Karen Byers of the Iowa State University Extension Office for Dickinson county tells KUOO news they’ve done some moving around of the judging schedules…(click here for comment.) “The fair is actually a day shorter than it was last year so we certainly need to get the word out to folks that some of our show dates that have been typically on a certain day and time of the week have changed. Friday we’re going to start in the morning with all of the livestock checking in, and really by noon is when it’s going to be open to the public with the exhibit building open to come and see the photography, the woodworking and the horticulture kinds of things in the expo center. And then the pet show starts at 2:00 on Friday afternoon, the rabbit show at 5:00 and the poultry show at 7:00. So we’re going into the afternoon and evening yet on Friday night with a lot of shows going on and certainly invite the public out to that.”
Byers says a change has also been made to this year’s Swine Show…(click here for comment.) “We’ve moved the swine show off of Saturday so for those of you coming out to see a livestock show, if you’re coming on Saturday we’re going to start at 8:00 with the sheep show and 10:00 with the goat show. Then in the evening we’ve added some fun classes in there. The horse show kids are going to have some fun classes at 5:00; 6:30 is the pie auction and pie eating contest that’s always fun to see and just a neat fundraiser for the 4-H kids here in the county. Sunday we’re going to start with the horse show and go all day. That starts at 9:00 and pretty much consumes the day, but we’ve added in a creative spirits painting party on Sunday afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00 here in the expo center; and then we fit the swine show in the evening. So 6:00 Sunday is the swine show which is definitely different this year to have the swine show in the evening…just a little change in the schedule. And also I want to highlight that the fair board has their dinner and concert Sunday night as well and that’s at 5:30 here in the expo so come enjoy the air conditioning, come to that as well. If you’re outdoorsy, 7:30 in the farm chore olympics in the outdoor arena. That’s always kind of fun to see kids gather eggs and scrub a pig and carry hay bales and water buckets and those kinds of things, so invite the public to come on out Sunday as well.”
Byers says one of the highlights on Monday’s schedule will be the beef show…(click here for comment.) “And that’s going to start at 9:00. Some changes in Monday’s afternoon schedule a little bit, we’re going to release exhibits at 3:00 on Monday afternoon so if you plan to step out and see exhibits do so before 3:00 Monday afternoon. And then also come back Monday night at 5:00 is the overall showmanship contest and that’s kind of a culmination for the fair for kids showing all the different animals at the fair and see who’s the best showman. And then certainly in the evening there at 6:30 Monday night is the awards program where we highlight all of the grand champion winners, the outstanding juniors, we recognize club leaders and one large thank you we have this year goes out to Max Yield for their support that they’ve given of the entire 4-H program through the year so certainly come Monday. And then Tuesday morning is the last of it, it is the livestock auction, and we certainly invite people to come out for that as well.”
Byers says the schedule changes were made to better accommodate schedules of parents of 4-H and FFA kids involved in the shows.
