Gracie Valencia won a Special Merit ribbon at the box Elder County Fair for her green pepper entry.
TREMONTON – The Box Elder County Fair this year is different than most years due to the pandemic, but they still plan for big crowds and a ton of fun.
This year’s theme is “Where Generations Share the Magic.”
Fair officials would like everyone to wear masks while at the fair or turning in entries.
Other changes to the annual event are: no carnival, no concerts in the band stand, and no commercial booths or exhibits, said Fair Chairman Jan Rhodes.
“Things will be spread out to reduce congestion,“ Rhodes said. “We also canceled the parade, the breeding sheep show and lamb dress-up activities.”
Home Arts entries will not be judged by outside judges this year, but by the public.
“Because there are no outside judges, people can enter their things in next year’s fair,” she said. “We never really had to be this cautious about entries.”
Awards will be given, the hope is that different businesses will donate money and gift cards.
Home Arts entries will be accepted from 10 am-12 noon and between 5-7 pm on August 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19.
For more information, contact Cheryl Howe at 435-279-0043.
The fair usually goes from Wednesday through Saturday, but this year some livestock events will begin on Monday, Aug. 24 with the Junior Market Goat Show beginning at 2 p.m.
“This is the second year for our goat show,” Rhodes said. “It is growing, we are getting more goats every year.”
The draft horse show will also begin on Monday at 9 a.m. and last all day. At 7 p.m., there will be Girls Break Away roping.
Tuesday brings the Junior Market Swine Show at 7 a.m. The Champion Drive will be held at 8 p.m. The youth chicken show will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and rodeo slack will begin at 8 a.m. and will run most of the day.
Wednesday will begin with the Junior Market Lamb show at 8 a.m. The Home Arts exhibit building opens at 10 a.m. starting Wednesday and will continue to open the same time each day of the fair. In the evening, the pre-rodeo begins at 6:45 p.m. with local guys doing rodeo activities each night. The Bronc Riding Classic begins at 8 p.m.
The Junior Beef Market Steer Show starts at 11 a.m. on Thursday and the pre rodeo begins at 6:45 p.m. with mini bucking bulls.
The Jr. livestock show is online this year. They will post a picture of the kids and calves.
The rodeo starts at eight and it is Family Night.
Friday morning, at 8 a.m., the horse show will begin, the beef heifer show will begin at 10 a.m., and the kids bucket calf show will be at 2 p.m.
The pre-rodeo show will be the Parade of Champions video of kids that won Champion and Reserve Grand Champion honors. An Antique Tractor Show and Pull will begin at 10 a.m. And the theme for the 8 p.m. rodeo is Patriot Night, when everyone is encouraged to wear red, white and blue.
Officials are not sure what to expect because of COVID-19, but the fair has been a huge tradition in Box Elder County for years, so they are hoping for good support from county residents.