NOT JUST HORSING AROUND. The upcoming Eau Claire County Fair will feature traditional exhibits and livestock judging as well as a variety of entertainment.

Galloping toward its centennial next year, the Eau Claire County Fair is poised to celebrate the achievements of the county’s youth, both urban and rural. Along the way, amid exhibits that range from livestock to LEGOs, there will be a full range of entertainment and events for fairgoers of all ages.

“All of our events are family-friend,” says Jenni Haan, chairperson of the county fair committee. “We want to make this a place for all families to feel welcome to be a part of. It should be a learning opportunity.”

“The fair has roots in agriculture, and that’s where it started in showing and showcasing livestock. But there’s a lot more to it: the LEGOs, the photography, the cultural arts.”

The fair runs Sunday to Sunday, July 23-30, on the fairgrounds at 5530 Fairview Drive (although the first few days are devoted mainly to set-up and judging). In addition to perusing exhibits and enjoying the creativity and hard work of exhibitors, attendees can enjoy entertainment starting on Thursday, July 27. At 6:30 that evening, Celebrity Donkey Races will be held, featuring locals riding (or at least attempting to ride) donkeys with menacing names such as “Widow Maker” and “COVID-19.”

Friday, July 28, is Family Fun Night, featuring (among other things) a car show at 5:30pm, an ice cream eating contest at 6pm, as well as “The String Showdown,” a free live music show featuring dueling strings at 7:30pm.

Saturday, July 29, begins with a pancake breakfast from 7-10am, followed by a full day of kids activities, as well as public safety displays and a petting zoo. Highlights for Sunday, July 30, include a draft horse pull at 9am, a charcoal chicken starting at 11am, and an equine drill team and square dance demonstration at 1pm. (You read that right: The horses square dance!)

Fair organizers have ramped up the entertainment options in recent years in an attempt to keep visitors around the fairgrounds in the evening, Haan said. It’s worked, and attendance has grown, she added.

The first Eau Claire County Fair was held in 1924 in Augusta, and featured agricultural exhibits as well as a horse race and a carnival. It has moved and evolved over the years, and has made its home on the fairgrounds on Eau Claire’s south side since 1996.

“The fair has roots in agriculture, and that’s where it started in showing and showcasing livestock,” Haan said. “But there’s a lot more to it: the LEGOs, the photography, the cultural arts.”

If you visit, be sure to take it all in, and make plans for next year’s centennial celebration at the fair.

The Eau Claire County Fair will run July 23-30 at the fairgrounds on 5530 Fairview Drive. Entertainment runs Thursday, July 27, through Sunday, July 30. Specific events are ticketed, though general fair admission and parking is free. For full details, visit eauclairecountyfair.com.