It's fair time!

IRONWOOD - The Gogebic County Fair kicked in on Thursday afternoon as registrations continued throughout the evening.

The Midway was busy with games in gear, fair food flowing, and long lines at favorite rides such as the tilt-o-whirl.

"It's amazing," said Genesis Rady of Ironwood, who was taking a break with her friends on the outskirts of the carnival area. "It's so fun."

On the small stage, popular tunes such as those by Chicago were offered to an appreciative audience by Superior Horns and Blue Ice.

The multipurpose building - which stands right next to the west entrance to the fair - was serving its name well as a substitute for the exposition building, which is closed this year due to structural issues revealed in a recent engineering study.

Volunteers were scattered throughout the multipurpose building, helping people to register their items up until 8 p.m.

The 4-H ice-cream booth - always a magnet at every fair - had steady business with people of all ages helping behind the counter. Carrie Hampston of Ironwood even had assistance there from several Milwaukee relatives, such as Stan George and Oscar Heinonen, 8.

In the homemaking area, clerks Karen Talkowski and Judy Huss were intent on logging homemaking entries.

Talkowski said the new environment was working out fine. As for whether registrants were keeping them busy, she assured, "Oh yeah."

Joyce Price of Ironwood was in charge of photography entries, which included some powerful images.

"We have some professional-level people in this area," said Price regarding widespread talent in the region. "We're really blessed."

Price spent a couple years in the late 1990s as the secretary of the Gogebic County Fair Board and now continues to volunteer

"I love it," she declared as traffic flowed throughout the building. "I love the people."

Also on display in the same building are vegetables and flowers, artistic and antique items, and historical displays such as a unit on harness racing.

Within the barns, not all of the pens yet had signs on Thursday evening, but a group of goats from Maple Acres did already feature posters with all of the goats' names, along with little greetings such as "Hi, I'm Joker and I love playing jokes."

In the swine area, feeding time resulted in some noisy, rambunctious behavior, with animals jockeying to "hog" the bowl, followed by what appeared to be delicious naps with favorite friends.

In one of the barns, Shyla Belzer of Manitowish Waters, was feeding her horse, Remmy, out of a bucket. She said her horse is eight years old, but added, "He's still learning. He still has a baby brain."

She described the overall collection of horses, which towered over their stalls, as "cool" and added, cheerfully, "They're good for the soul."

Judging was expected in all categories on Friday.

A perfectly groomed track also lay in wait for harness races expected Friday and today, as well as Friday's 4-H youth games and other activities such as today's 4-H market animal auction and the Lake Superior Tired Iron Antique Tractor Pull. Separate tracks for tonight's mud races also stand ready.

Other fair activity still to come includes horse shows, a pie auction, a tractor parade and plenty of live music on all days. In addition, members of Friends of the Fair are selling 50/50 tickets.

For persons with mobility issues, a side-by-side is available for transport throughout the fairgrounds.

A complete schedule of all fair activities is available at gogebiccountyfair.com.