Fair to Salute America; Kicks Off Sunday

By Tim Schmidt, Record Editor
Posted 1/7/10

This year’s version of the Warren County Fair will have a motorsports kind of feel to it. After years of featuring high-priced musical entertainment that failed to generate much interest, the Fair …

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Fair to Salute America; Kicks Off Sunday

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This year’s version of the Warren County Fair will have a motorsports kind of feel to it.

After years of featuring high-priced musical entertainment that failed to generate much interest, the Fair Board has decided to play to its strengths. Motorsports have historically been a crowd pleaser at the fair.

This year, motorsports events will be featured nightly.

The Fair opens Sunday, July 4, and wraps up Saturday, July 10, at the Warren County Fairgrounds located on North Highway 47 in Warrenton.

Returning this year is the motocross competition on Tuesday and the demolition derby on Thursday, both beginning at 7 p.m., and the truck and tractor pull on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

New to this year’s lineup include the Hell Drivers Thrill Show on Wednesday at 8 p.m., followed by a lawnmower derby at 9 p.m. Friday night’s monster truck show will be sandwiched by two performances from country music singer Jeff Sable, who will perform twice, at 7 and 9:30 p.m. His top hits include “Rainy Days at the Beach,” “Raised on the Radio,” “Drop of Rain,” and “Love Hasn’t Found ’em Yet.”

“It seems like it’s what the public wanted,” Fair Board President Roger Owenby said. “They never came out for the (musical) entertainment. We’re trying to add new and different stuff.”

This year’s Fair theme is “A Salute to America.” Tying in with the Fourth of July holiday, all active personnel and veterans with identification can receive a free meal ticket at the fairgrounds office on Sunday’s opening day.

“We appreciate everything they do and did,” Owenby said.

The Fair Board also is attempting to finalize a flyover of the fairgrounds property prior to the start of the queen coronation. He said approval has been received, but has yet to confirm if a plane is available. 

A new layout of the fairgrounds also will be unveiled this year. The main entrance has been shifted to the center of the east side, allowing the carnival rides to be relocated to the front. The pit area for the main stage activities will be moved to midway’s former location.

Owenby said the changes had been discussed for years, but finally came to fruition in the past month.

“We’re pushing the whole Fair up,” Owenby said. “The first thing the public will see is the carnival. We tried to give it a different atmosphere. It gives it a different look.”

For the second straight year, carnival rides are included in the paid admission to the Fair.

The daily admission fee for those 13 and older is $12 on July 6-8. The fee increased to $15 on July 9 and $18 on July 10. For children ages 4-12, daily admission is $8 from July 6-8, $10 on July 9 and $12 on July 10.

A season pass is $35. Senior Citizen Days also will be celebrated July 8, with the admission fee $6 for those 55 and older.

Like in past years, all admission fees are waived during the opening day. Visitors, however, will be required to purchase a wristband for carnival rides.

This year’s festivities kick off July 4 with the parade beginning at 2 p.m. A new route, beginning in front of Black Hawk Middle School and finishing at Warrenton High School, will be featured. The parade will travel on Highway M and down Pinckney Street. 

Parking will be available at Holy Rosary School and Rebecca Boone Elementary.

“There will be plenty of places to sit,” Owenby said. “I think it will work out nice.”

A car show will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the queen coronation at 7 p.m. A fireworks show will be held at approximately 9:15 p.m.

Though the Fair won’t have a headline musical act, the beer garden will feature area groups nightly. A karaoke contest will be held Tuesday evening. 

The rodeo will be on different nights this year, beginning at 7 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The livestock buyers dinner is scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The wild cow milking contest will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m. with the junior rodeo following at 7:30 p.m. At intermission, a lamb scramble will be held for spectators.

Saturday’s activities will begin with a baby show at 10 a.m., followed by frog and turtle races at noon, a washer tournament and watermelon eating contest at 1 p.m. and a pedal tractor pull at 2 p.m. 

The Missouri Mounted Shooters will perform from noon-5 p.m. with the finals of the chicken wing eating contest at 6:30 p.m. The popular greased pig contest begins at 7 p.m.

“There is a lot for kids to do,” Owenby said. “We want to make it enjoyable for kids and adults, too. It’s something for the whole community to come out and participate in.”

Owenby said the Fair’s Web site (www.warrencountymofair.com) will be updated throughout the week with pictures and maybe even live video.

“We’re getting the last minute stuff finished up,” Owenby said. “We’re ready to go.”


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