Ashland County Fair wraps up 2022 and looks forward to events in 2023
As 2022 comes to a close, the Ashland County Fair reflects on the past year of events.
The fairgrounds was active throughout the year with traditional events like horse shows and sales, auctions, rummage and garage sales, motorcycle races, gun shows, truck and tractor shows, swap meets, and several organizations held special events.
A Journey Tribute concert and gun raffle were some added events that were successful, and a Christian concert was scheduled, but rained out.
Fair attendance was 91,635. Attendees enjoyed fair food, games, rides, merchants inside and outside, livestock shows (Junior Fair and Open Class), Jr. Fair Livestock auctions, displays and exhibits, along with pavilion and grandstand entertainment.
The 2022 Ashland County Junior Fair Board gathered 4,920 pounds of food and placed second in the region in the Farm-Credit Mid America and Rural first Fight the Hunger-Stock the Trailer food drive. They received $500 for participating and were awarded $3,500 for second place. The food collected was donated to Ashland County Associated Charities.
Many fair board members along with some junior fair board members will attend the OFMA (Ohio Fair Managers Assoc.) convention in mid-January for various sessions spanning many topics of interest. They will learn from other fairs and speakers, get new ideas, share in round table discussions and visit merchants ready to have their entertainment/items be a part of the fair.
Ashland County Fair kicks off 2023 with a number of events
The fair is starting 2023 with multiple events.
Dollars for Pounds: Anyone with a New Year’s resolution to loose weight might be interested in the Dollars for Pounds competition, which begins Jan. 3 with initial weigh-in and picture. Then contestants will come in every other week paying $1 for weight lost and $2 for weight gained. The competition will go until the week before the fair in September, and the winners in each category will be announced at the Fair's Sunday opening ceremonies.
Dinosaur drive-thru: Event is scheduled for Jan. 7 and 8. Tickets can be purchased online at jurassicwonder.com. The link is on the fair's Facebook page.
Flea market and crafts: This event is Jan. 14 in Mozelle Hall. Spaces are available ($2/Foot) for anyone with something to sell. Everyone is welcome to come shop. Admission is free.
Norris gun show: Jan. 21-22 in Mozelle Hall, and watch for Troth Auctions as they happen as well. Follow the fair on Facebook for information, which also can be found online at ashlandcountyfair.com or stop by the office Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
The Ashland County Fair Board committees are actively setting up meetings to tweak and plan 2023 fair and other events. Our hope is to always be the fair for families and bring events and happenings to Ashland County that everyone can enjoy and want to be a part of.
Membership tickets are available now for $25. You must be age 18 or over and an Ashland County resident. This ticket includes seven fair admissions, enables you to enter open class 2023 fair, declare candidacy for director position as well as vote for board candidates in November.
Fair books come out around the first week of July and entry deadlines are in August. Be watching for building project news coming soon.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland County Fair boasts successful 2022, plans 2023 events
