It’s a hallmark of summer, a final hurrah before going back to school. A place where friendships are forged and memories are made. This place is the county fair, specifically the Portage County Agricultural Society Randolph Fair. Most of us know it as simply the Randolph Fair, which is synonymous with fun!
The first Portage County Fair was held on October 15, 1858. It was a modest, roadside affair. The vegetables and other perishables were shown in the nearby schoolhouse! It began as a one-day fair, grew to two, then three and now a six-day event. Those six days are packed with events, entertainment, merchants, and yummy food.
The price of that long-ago first fair was 10 cents, per person as well as per horse and buggy. Now, it’s a bit higher and has a few more categories.
General Admission (Ages 10 and Up) $10; Early Bird Discount Days – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday until 3:00 pm $5; Pre-Sale Single Day Entry available until 8/19 @ 11:59PM $8; Children (9 and Under) Free.
Season passes are also available for Adults (ages 10 and up) until 8/19 @ 11:59PM for $35. Friday only Senior Citizens (60 & Over) & Veterans (with proper id) can get into the fairgrounds for free!
As far back as my memory serves, getting a meal DiRusso’s Sausage Sandwich, Fair Fries with Vinegar, and Birch Beer is a yearly delicacy. Those perennial favorites will be there, elephant ears, (a must have!) freshly squeezed lemonade, and many new foods. Helping our 4H chapters, stop by The Snack Shack which sells a selection of Grab and Go snacks to get you through the day. Waterloo Athletic Boosters have two permanent locations, serving mixed menus. Take your time, budget your calories and plan your attack! Bon Appetite.
Grandstand events this year include the ever-popular Demolition Derby, Truck and Tractor Pulls, and a Rough Truck Contest on Sunday. These events have an additional fee. See the fair’s website for a full scheduled and pricing.
For this reporter, the most interesting portion of the fair is the animals and the kids that show them. Wandering the barns to view the horses and cattle as well as the small animals, one can appreciate the dedication of the 4-H clubs, and thmeir members. That membership can be life-defining for them. 4-H is a club, an ethic and a way of life.
“I pledge my Head to clear thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living for my club, my community, my country and my world.” This is the 4-H way, and the participants really do live it.
4-H was started by A.B. Graham in 1902, in Clark County, Ohio. The first club was the Tomato Club. The clover pin with an H on each leaf was developed in 1912 by Jessie Field Shambaugh and soon the clubs were known as 4-H. In 1914 the Cooperative Extension System nationalized 4-H.
Though most tend to think of 4-H as serving rural, farm-based communities they serve urban and suburban youth as well. In addition to agriculture, 4-H participants are learning life skills, researching world problems, participating in rockets and robotic enrichment programs, and STEM related activities.
The 4-H way of life attracts youths as well as adults. Karen Watson is one such adult. Her family moved to a small farm in rural Brimfield to raise their own food, so Karen began with rabbits. Then chickens and pigs. They attended a club for a while, then Karen started the Portage Explorers. She has been the leader, referred to as Volunteer, of this club for 32 years now! Her children all passed through the club and have aged out (18 as of July) and her youngest, Nate, has become an advisor as well. She says it is hard to give up when she gets to work with so many new participants each year. The Explorers is a small animal club; they have pocket pets to poultry to rabbits. Some are pets and return year to year, some are market animals which get sold at the Saturday auction. They meet on a monthly basis, taking time off for the holidays.
Ten-year-old Ivy is in the Portage Explorers. She started as a Cloverbud at age 5. Cloverbuds are clubs for ages 5 to 9, and must be in at least in third grade. This is to ready the participant for 4-H. She has now been involved for 6 years. She is in Explorers for small animals, and is also in Seambusters for sewing and life skills. Additionally, she is in Tenth Cavalry. This coming fair she will be riding horse, and showing geese, ducks and chickens, rabbits and a sewing project. Though she has received many prizes in 4-H that is not what she feels is important. “It feels good just to accomplish what you wanted to accomplish and finish a project.” The fair is her favorite! Fair is exhilarating, though her mom thinks it is exhausting. As she has barn duty, concession stand duty, regular animal show, showmanship, maybe Mom is onto something. As soon as fair is over, she begins prepping for the next year.
Lilly, another ten-year-old 4-Her, is part of Edinburg Seambusters and Portage County Shepherds. Both of her sewing projects have placed. She also showed rabbits for the first time last year, taking Reserve Champion for her ‘meat pen.’ Her favorite part of 4-H is the fair, especially riding the rides. Oh yes, she enjoyed the auction on Saturday. That could be because her rabbits added to her college education fund!
4-H veteran, Alivia, has participated for 8 years. She has shown rabbits, cats, and succulents. She has two more years before she ages out. She is considering the possibility of coming back as an advisor at that time. Her favorite part of 4-H has been the bonds that she has developed with other 4-Hers. She finds that 4-H has helped her increase her public speaking skills, encouraged her ability to research, and can help get her into the college of her choice.
Parents of these kids have all stated that they are hard workers, have a clear sense of responsibility and are proud of their accomplishments. Ivy’s mom, Tara, says Ivy is up at 6 am every day, including summer vacation, to do her chores. Tara says she needs a week after the fair just to rest up, but not Ivy. Cassie, mother to both Alivia and Lilly, is very supportive of the girls’ ventures. She was a 4-H participant herself, and knows the value the experience brings to the participants.
Perhaps Karen’s son Nate says it best. He grew up in the Portage Explorers and is now an Advisor. “The fair has always had a special place in my heart and in my life. Some of my favorite memories go back to spending the week out there, making friends and learning more about myself and animals every day. The biggest reason I volunteer is to provide these youth with an opportunity to have the same experience I did. The skills and friendships developed as a youth in the program helped me to become who I am today.”
