Allen County Fair returns for 173rd year

The theme for this year's Allen County Fair is "Making Millions of Memories." The fairgrounds are located at 2750 Harding Hwy, Lima. Gates officially open at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Nutrien Plaza stage. The jungle island zoo will be open from 4-9 p.m., and the Great Lakes Team Handball Association will host a demonstration from 5-7 p.m. The grandstand event for Friday night is micro-wrestling starting at 6 p.m. Saturday brings the Kewpee steer and heifer show at noon. The Allen County Horse Council speed show will follow at 1 p.m. at the Schmidthorst Pavilion. A sold-out concert featuring HARDY and opening act Ella Langley will start at 8 p.m. in the grandstands. Troy Elwer, promotions and operations manager for the Allen County Fair, said the tickets sold out within 15 minutes when they went on sale back in February. "We're very excited for that event and the possible exposure that we're going to get from the general public coming in to enjoy the fair on that day," Elwer said. Three different grandstand events are scheduled for Sunday; the baton and flag corp competition will be at 1 p.m., the Ohio State University alumni band will perform at 6:30 p.m., and the Kewpee Showcase of Bands will follow at 7 p.m. The Kewpee Showcase highlights different high school bands from the surrounding area and brings them together for a night filled with music. Monday begins with the youth fishing derby at 9 a.m. at Roschman Pond. Youth day activities start at 2 p.m at the picnic tent, and the kiddie tractor pull is scheduled from 3-5 p.m. Kiddie at the Nutrien Plaza Area. Harness racing comes to the grandstand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday is Senior Citizens Day, and seniors 60 and older will have free admission from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. A Golden Age Day Party is scheduled for 2 p.m at the gospel tent, and harness racing returns to the grandstand at 6:30 p.m. Multiple junior fair and peewee shows are scheduled for Wednesday morning. The grandstand event scheduled for Wednesday is the cheerleading competition starting at 7 p.m. The Dunlap & Mabe band will also be performing at 8 p.m. at the Nutrien Plaza stage. Thursday begins with the antique tractor pull at 9 a.m. at the grandstand infield. The taste of the fair featuring select food vendors is scheduled from 12-8 p.m. in the midway. The livestock scramble will be held in the grandstand that night at 7 p.m. Friday is Veterans Day, and veterans will be admitted for free from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The junior fair livestock auction will start off the day at 9 a.m., and the veteran's program will start at noon followed by a veteran's lunch at the tent behind the Gospel Tent. The demolition derby is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the grandstand. On Saturday, the junior fair Champion of All Champions showmanship will be at 9 a.m. A car show is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. at Roschman Park. The Hardin County Pullers will grace the grandstand at 6:30 p.m., and the gates to the 173rd Allen County Fair will close at 11 p.m. New attractions this year include the Prehistoric Dinosaur Adventure, which is a free entertainment opportunity for families and kids to explore the museum and look at actual dinosaur fossils and bones, as well as the dig pit where kids can dig up fossils and dinosaur bones that will be open all nine days of the fair. A safari truck featuring a nine-foot animatronic T-rex will also roam the fairgrounds throughout the week. The Majestic Circus will also have two to three shows a day in the north midway. The show features a combination of high-wire acts and other acrobatics as well as a metal round motorcycle cage. The fair also involves roughly 1,400 junior fair kids every year, whether that involvement be through livestock, 4-H or FFA, and there will be multiple junior and senior fair exhibitions throughout the week. A glance at the daily schedules is as follows: Friday Mercy Health Day 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. - Antique tractor exhibits due, Roschman Park area 1 p.m. - Open class first flower show, youth activities bldg. 4 p.m. - 173rd Allen County Fair officially opens; ribbon cutting ceremony, Nutrien Plaza stage 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. - Jungle island zoo, Roschman Park 5-7 p.m. - Great Lakes Team Handball Assoc. Demonstration, front of sheep show arena 6 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 6 p.m. - Micro wrestling, grandstand ($30 ringside & BL/GS $15 - all seats general admission) 8 p.m. - War wrestling, Roschman Park 11 p.m. - Gates close Saturday Your Hometown Lima Stations and Plastipak Day7 a.m. - Gates open 12 p.m. - Kewpee classic open prospect steer & heifer show, The Union Bank Co. show arena 12-8 p.m. - Pre-historic dinosaur adventures, Roschman Park 12:30 p.m. Majestik Circus, north midway 1 p.m. - Allen County Horse Council speed show, Schmidthorst Pavilion 6 p.m. - War wrestling, Roschman Park 8 p.m. - HARDY with opening act Ella Langley concert, grandstand (SOLD OUT) 11 p.m. - Gates close Sunday Woof Boom Radio and Superior Credit Union Day 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Allen County Horse Council Allen County 4-H youth horse show, Schmidthorst Pavilion 12:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 1-4 p.m. - Kids dream day, north end of grandstand track, near Farm Bureau building 1 p.m. - Baton & flag corp competition, grandstand (free admission) 2:30 p.m. - Junior fair rabbit royalty crowning followed by fur, fryers & market rabbit show, rabbit barn 4:30 p.m. - OSU Alumni Band, Nutrien Plaza stage 6:30 p.m. - OSU Alumni Band, grandstand ($5.00 - 7 & over, 6 & under free) 7 p.m. - Kewpee Showcase of Bands, grandstand ($5.00 - 7 & over, 6 & under free) 11 p.m. - Gates close Monday Chief Supermarket Day $2.00 Off Gate Admission - 7 am - 6 pm 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Youth fishing derby, Roschman Pond 1 p.m. - Junior fair rabbit quiz bowl, rabbit barn 2 p.m. - Bug Safari! - B.E.E.T.L.E Van, near Roschman Park Shelter House 2 p.m. - Youth day activities, picnic tent 2:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 3-5 p.m. - Kiddie tractor pull, Nutrien Plaza area 6:30 p.m. - Harness racing, grandstand (free admission) 8 p.m. - Mason Dixon Line, Nutrien Plaza stage 11 p.m. - Gates close Tuesday Senior Citizen's Day and Kewpee Hamburgers Day Free admission for seniors age 60 and over from 7 a.m - 6 p.m. 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Junior fair horse & pony show, Schmidthorst Pavilion 2 p.m. - Golden Age Day Party, gospel tent 6 p.m. - Magician Michael Misko, Nutrien Plaza stage 6:30 p.m. - Harness racing, grandstand (free admission) 8 p.m. - Junior fair born & raised market steer show, The Union Bank Co. show arena 8:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, North Midway 11 p.m. - Gates close Wednesday Convention & Visitors Bureau and The Lima News Day $2.00 off gate admission - 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. 7 a.m. - Gates open 8:30 a.m. - Junior fair beef steer showmanship, Pee Wee showmanship, followed by junior fair breeding beef, feeder calves show, The Union Bank Co. show arena 4 p.m. - Llamas/alpaca costume contest, sheep show arena 5:30 p.m. - Bear Hollow Wood Carvers, Roschman Park 6 p.m. - Magician Michael Misko, Nutrien Plaza stage 7 p.m. - Cheerleading competition, grandstand ($5.00 - 7 & over, 6 & under Free) 7 p.m. - Junior fair market steer show, The Union Bank Co. show arena 8 p.m. - Dunlap & Mabe, Nutrien Plaza stage 8:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 11 p.m. - Gates close Thursday Bob Evans Farms Manufacturing Day $2.00 off gate admission with can of food - walk in gates only, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., one can per person 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Antique tractor pull, grandstand (free admission) Noon - 8 p.m. - Taste of the Fair, select food vendors, midway 2:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 4:30 p.m. - Junior fair rabbit and chicken livestock auction, The Union Bank Co. show arena 7 p.m. - Livestock scramble, grandstand (free admission) 7 p.m. - Tasha Layton, gospel tent 8 p.m. - Lynette Rose Karaoke, Nutrien Plaza stage 11 p.m. - Gates close Friday Veteran's Day and Union Bank Co. Day Veterans admitted for free from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Junior fair livestock auction - beef, dairy beef steers, hogs, dairy milk, llama/alpaca fiber, goat milk, goats and lambs, The Union Bank Co. Show Arena Noon - Veteran's program followed by veteran's lunch, tent behind gospel tent 5 p.m. - Magician Michael Misko, Nutrien Plaza stage 7 p.m. - Demolition derby featuring Kids Power Wheels, grandstand ($8.00 -7 & over, 6 & under free, infield pass (all ages) - $15.00 7 p.m. - Kevin McCoy Band, Nutrien Plaza stage 8:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 11 p.m. - Gates close Saturday Sign Pro Imaging and Ohio Means Job Day 7 a.m. - Gates open 9 a.m. - Junior fair Champion of All Champions Showmanship, The Union Bank Co. show arena Noon - 5 p.m. - Children Choosing Christ, gospel tent 1-4 p.m. - Car Show, Roschman Park 6:30 p.m. - Hardin County Pullers, grandstand ($5.00 - 7 & over, 6 & under free, infield pass (all ages) - $10.00 8 p.m. - My Cousin Eddie, Nutrien Plaza stage 8:30 p.m. - Majestik Circus, north midway 11 p.m. - 173rd Allen County Fair closes View the full schedule online.