Gogebic County Fair begins today

IRONWOOD - Once again, its time for the annual tradition that is the Gogebic County Fair, which opens today and runs through Sunday.

Starting at 10 a.m., today, the public can explore the fairgrounds until 8:30 p.m. and participants can drop off entries in all categories.

The day will feature a youth challenge, beginning at 4:30 p.m., according to the fair's Entertainment and Marketing Chair, Kathy Jo Koval.

The challenge features six teams of area youth competing in a number of "silly games," Koval explained, for trophies and cash prizes. In past years, one of the games involved a blindfolded person pushing a wheelbarrow while a passenger verbally steers through the course.

Marty's Goldenaires will perform at 7 p.m.

"That's a community favorite; they have quite a following," said Koval. "They kind of come in and they stroll the grounds before they go and get people ready to come up to the grandstands to watch them."

Friday, youth and senior citizen day, features the judging of the youth entries in the competition and the first day of harness racing, with races beginning at 1 p.m.

Friday's evening entertainment will feature Brittany Bexton opening for Craig Wayne Boyd.

Saturday features the judging of the other exhibits, as well as the annual mud run and tough truck competition.

The first round of the mud run and tough truck competition begins at 3:30 p.m., with the finals held at 7 p.m.

"They have an obstacle course built on the course, and it will be ups and downs and turns and through tires and over rocks," Koval said, explaining the tough trucks competition. "... (last year) they had a big jump and the truck came down and fell apart, all four wheels fell right off."

The fair's annual animal auction is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday will feature the return of pony pulling in the grandstand at 10 a.m.

The fair's craft beer judging competition will be held at noon, followed by the auctioning off of craft beer and pies.

The 4-H award show will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by the Broken Horn Rodeo at 3 p.m.

There will also be a variety of other eventson the fairgrounds.

"Those are only some of the major events, we have little things going on on the small stage, in the all-purpose building," Koval said.

Of course, a county fair wouldn't be complete without carnival rides, Koval said. "We should have 20 great rides, something to appeal to everybody," she said.

Admission to the fair covers the rides and the grandstand shows, Koval said.

"Everything's free except for the food you eat, the drinks you buy and anything you choose to buy from the vendors," said Koval.