Fair right on target for fun-filled week

Phillips County Fair provided people with days and nights packed with fun, excitement and action from July 20-25.

Fair board vice president Austin Tharp said the fair ran very smoothly and had great community involvement.

He added that the weather was great and events were very well attended. He noted that Tuesday night’s barrel racing event had over 90 entries, and he was glad to see so many people in the grandstands and the arena for events like Bulls Gone Wild! and the ranch rodeo.

Tharp said seeing so many people attend Saturday’s parade was amazing. He pointed out that it was the best-attended parade since his involvement with the fair began in 2014. The parade was led by grand marshals Mike and Susan Salyards.

“We couldn’t be happier with how supportive the community is,” Tharp said of the fair board. He added that a fair doesn’t happen without everyone coming together and lending a hand where needed.

He said he has heard nothing but positive feedback about the livestock shows and that numbers were up in quite a few species. Emphasizing just how important the fair is to children, he said they learn so many life lessons through their involvement, and they get rewarded when all their hard work pays off during fair week.

The circus originally scheduled for Thursday evening was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, but fair board members and other volunteers played the movie “Raya and the Last Dragon” at the grandstands.

“It was something fun to fill in for the circus,” Tharp said.

He went on to say that both the Thrashers Rocky Mountain oyster feed and the Friday night barbecue were well attended, as were the stock car races Friday night.

Crowds were entertained by the music of Half Passed Grass on Friday night and Jason Kimble Night Sounds on Saturday night.

Bryan Kroeger led the community church service in the pavilion Sunday, which had so many people attend that Tharp said they needed to add bleachers.

Many people also attended Sunday’s tractor pull, which was an event Tharp said people are glad to see return to the fair.

Tharp again emphasized the number of people it takes to coordinate a successful fair.

He thanked the Phillips County commissioners for their continued support, as well as all of the kids, their parents and community volunteers. Additionally, he thanked the EMTs and members of the Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department for all of their hard work.

Though the 2021 Phillips County Fair is in the books, the “steaks” have certainly been raised, leaving the community excitedly looking forward to next year’s fair.