Fair Features: Effingham County Fair starts Saturday

Jul. 28—ALTAMONT — The smell of corn dogs and pork burgers will fill the air once again as the 78th Annual Effingham County Fair gets underway in Altamont on Saturday.

Fairgoers will see a new addition to the fair as they explore the grounds this year: a new playground for kids located in the common area west of the north grandstand track. The funding for the playground was initiated by Effingham County Fair Board President Phil Hartke in January. The grand opening of the new playground is scheduled for noon on Sunday, July 31.

Cdubs Inflatables will be on the fairgrounds Saturday, July 30, Sunday, July 31, and Monday, Aug. 1, from noon to 10 p.m. each day. Luehrs' Ideal Rides is scheduled to offer carnival rides at the Effingham County Fair again this year. The rides open Tuesday evening, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. and will run through Saturday, Aug. 6.

A daily community showcase is featured at the fair Sunday, July 31, through Friday, Aug. 5. The first Effingham County Fair Community Showcase was organized by Valena Soltwedel in 2018 to offer live demonstrations. The showcase is presented twice a day at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. This year's showcases include on Sunday, July 31, "Fancy Feet for Sewing" by Mari Grupe of Schallert's Sewing; Monday, Aug. 1, "Floral Arranging for the Home Gardner" by Faye Winter; Tuesday, Aug. 2, "Jelly and Jams" by Mary Liz Wright, Nutrition and Wellness Educator at the University of Illinois Effingham Extension Center; Wednesday, Aug. 3, "Just Say Cheese" on how to make cheese by Bailey Wolff; Thursday, Aug. 4, "Creating a Rain Garden" by University of Illinois Effingham Extension Center Master Gardeners; Friday, Aug. 5,"Fat-Free Quilting with Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes" by Crystal Habing and Valena Soltwedel.

The fair kicks off with a 5K run on Saturday, July 30, followed by a car show starting at 9 a.m. Car Show awards include the Top 35 cars through 1980, Top 10 cars from 1981 to present and Top 10 Trucks. Ranch Sorting starts at 10 a.m. with several 4-H activities during the day. A Pee Wee Show starts at 4 p.m. Capping off the day at 6:30 p.m. is the Lucus Oil Pro Pulling League Tour featuring three classes of pulling action, including Super Farm Tractors with a purse of $6,500, Super Modified Two-Wheel Drive Trucks with a purse of $7,000 and a Super-Modified class for tractors with a $9,000 purse. Cdubs Inflatables will be open from noon to 10 p.m.

The a grand opening of the new children's playground starts at noon on Sunday, July 31, followed by the first day of harness racing at 1 p.m. Ranch Sorting starts at 10 a.m. and the 4-H Beef Show also gets underway at noon. "Country Pride Shared County Wide" is the theme of this year's fair parade that will travel in front of the grandstand seating at 4:30 p.m. It will be followed by the 4-H Master Showmanship competition at 6 p.m. A Kentucky Derby Hat contest begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Schuetzenfest Building. A talent show gets underway in the grandstand at 6:30 p.m. with the Junior Miss and "Little Mister" pageants starting at 8 p.m. Cdubs Inflatables will be open from noon to 10 p.m.

It's an early start for the fair on Monday, Aug. 1, as four events start at 7:45 a.m., including the 4-H Swine, Junior Beef, Class A Beef and Class F Sheep Shows. Then at 8 a.m., the 4-H and Junior Poultry and Waterfowl Shows begin. The Junior Boer Goat Show starts at noon while Big Ten Harness Racing starts at 1 p.m. in the grandstand. The 4-H Sheep Show begins at 3 p.m. The feature of the evening is the Illinois Tractor Pull Association (ITPA) Tractor, Truck and Garden Tractor Pull on the grandstand track. There will be eight pulling classes, including three Pro Farm classes, Garden Tractors, two Truck classes, Super Stock and Light Modified. Cdubs Inflatables will be open from noon to 10 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 2, is pageant night at the fair as judges will choose the next Miss Effingham County Fair Queen. The pageantry begins at 7 p.m. in the grandstand and includes the introduction of "Little Miss" pageant entries. The 4-H and Junior Dairy Show starts that morning's activities at 9 a.m. and Big Ten Harness Racing begins at 1 p.m. The Junior Sheep Show gets underway at 2 p.m. and the 4-H and Junior Dog Show starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday is the first day the carnival rides open, starting at 6 p.m.

The tractor-pulling action continues on Wednesday, Aug. 3, as the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League features its Champion Seed Western Series pulling event starting at 7 p.m. on the fair grandstand track. There are four pull classes, including Light Pro Stock Tractors (Western Series and Midwest Region Series) with a purse of $5,000, Limited Pro Stock Diesel Trucks (Western Series and Midwest Region Series) with a $3,500 purse, Pro Stock Tractors (Midwest Region Series) with a $3,500 purse and Limited Pro Stock Tractors (Silver Series) with a $5,000 purse. Local pull classes include Three Plow/6,500 pounds, Classic Tractors, Four Plow/7,500 pounds, Five Plow/8,500 pounds, Local 12,000 N/A, Local 8 mph Blower and Local 12 mph Blower. Wednesday's activities begin at 8 a.m. with a 4-H and Junior Rabbit Show, along with a Junior Cat Show. A 4-H Cat Show starts at 9 a.m. The Downstate Classic Harness Racing begins at 1 p.m. The anticipation continues as the 4-H Youth Auction starts at 5:30 p.m. The carnival opens at 5 p.m.

Thursday's activities start at 9 a.m. with a 4-H and Junior Dairy Cattle Show, along with a Class U Dairy Goat Show. Two events are scheduled to start at 1 p.m.: harness racing on the grandstand track and a 4-H and Junior Pygmy Goat show. Thursday evening the Whippoorwill Rodeo Company hosts a rodeo event at 7:30 p.m. on the grandstand track that includes bareback riding, saddle bronc, cowgirls breakaway, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, cowgirl barrel racing and bull riding competitions. The carnival opens at 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 5, kicks off at 8 a.m. with a Class B Dairy Cattle Show while a 4-H Llama and Alpaca Show starts at 9 a.m. Kids get the opportunity to run down the grandstand track before harness racing action, beginning at noon. A Pedal Tractor Pull and Progressive Ad Safety Day is planned at 3:30 p.m. in the 4-H Arena sponsored by the Effingham County Farm Bureau. At 5 p.m., Ellie Mae takes the free stage and it's 2 for 1 night at the carnival, which opens at 6 p.m. Nashville recording country music singer and songwriter Scotty McCreery with special guest Austin Edwards will perform at 7 p.m. at the grandstand. The carnival opens at 6 p.m.

On the final day of the fair, Saturday, Aug. 6, a locally popular event — The Demolition Derby — starts at 6:30 p.m. on the track in front of the grandstand. There are five classes this year including Modified, Semi-Stock, Compact, Full-Size Truck and Mini Truck. There is a Power Wheels Derby starting at 5:30 p.m. and from 9:30 a.m. until noon, it's COPS Kids and Teens Day at the fair. The carnival opens at 2 p.m. and closes at 7.

Charles Mills can be reached at charles.mills@effinghamdailynews.com or by phone at 618-510-9226 or 217-347-7151 ext. 300126.