County fair to offer staples, new tries

The Harrison County Fair nears with 4-H events scheduled from Saturday to Thursday, June 20, and agricultural fair events running from Sunday to Saturday, June 22.
This is the 160th iteration of the fair, which is the longest consecutively-running county fair in Indiana.
This year there will be some new offerings at the fairgrounds in Corydon, in addition to the local favorites that are offered year after year.
For the first time, alcohol will be served at the fair on closing night.
John Kost, president of the Harrison County Agricultural Society, which puts on the annual event, said there will be a beer garden on the horse track starting at 7:30 p.m. and continuing while Juice Box Heroes performs beginning at 8.
‘The people acted like they really wanted it,’ he said.
Music fans and concert-goers often like to have a drink at shows, Kost said, so, after hearing calls for a bar area, the board decided to permit the beer garden along with some guidelines.
Kost said alcohol will only be served on Saturday, June 22, after all the 4-H events for the week have concluded.
The designated 21+ area for serving and drinking alcohol will be on the track, and drinks will not be allowed in the grandstands.
Kost said the board is taking things one year at a time, so they haven’t decided if serving alcohol will be a recurring feature.
‘We’ll try it, and, if it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to how we were doing it,’ he said.
The 4-H Exhibit Hall has been renovated since last year’s fair. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the building took place Saturday.
This year, midway rides will begin operating on Tuesday, instead of Monday like past years, due to a scheduling conflict with ride operators.
Kost said because rides will be unavailable on Monday, entry to the fairgrounds will be discounted to $5 instead of the usual $10 for that day only.
Fair week will kick off Sunday with the annual parade at 7 p.m. making its way south on Capitol Avenue to the fairgrounds followed by the crowning of Miss Harrison County at the grandstand at 8:30.
Fair contestants this year are:
Summer Allen, 18, of New Salisbury, daughter of Gary and Lisa Allen and sponsored by Patoka Lake Sailing Club;
Emily Fleace, 19, of Central, daughter of Joe and Cheryl Fleace and sponsored by Clucker’s in Corydon;
Brianna Harper, 18, of Corydon, daughter of Valery Semones and sponsored by Kid’s Dentistree;
JoDee Trowbridge, 18, of Corydon, daughter of JoAnna and Michael Trowbridge and sponsored by Harrison County Hospital; and
Cheyenne Wallace, 19, of Mauckport, daughter of Erik and Melissa Wallace and sponsored by Wallace RaceCar Letters.
Judging will take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Talmage Windell Memorial Agriculture Building at the fairgrounds. Admission is free to the event which is open to the public.
Demolition derbies are scheduled for Monday and Thursday, both at 7:30 p.m., with big and miniature vehicle heats.
On Tuesday, there will be a baby contest starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Talmage Windell Memorial Agriculture Building. Additional age groups, for both boys and girls, have been added this year.
Tractor and truck pulls are scheduled for Tuesday and Friday nights, with both events beginning at 7.
Kost said he expects to see a handful of local competitors because of the fair’s variety of truck and tractor categories.
‘People get more involved when they have classes they like there,’ he said.
In addition to the events above, the fair also will feature many of the same vendors and offerings from years past.
For more information, visit harrisoncountyfair.com, call the fair office at 812-267-7471, available during fair week only, or see the fair insert published in June 5 issue of The Corydon Democrat; copies are available at the newspaper office at 301 N. Capitol Ave. in Corydon.