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Elmore County Fair, rodeo, carnival open
The Elmore County Fair is now underway, with the carnival opening tonight.
The Exhibit Hall opens to the public today at noon, and the Town & Country Shows Carnival opens at 5 p.m.
The carnival, which is new to the fair this year, will include a string of rides such as The Scrambler, Space Train, Super Slide and Fun Slide, as well as a roller coaster, an obstacle course, a ladder challenge, a bounce house and assorted carnival-style games.
Today also is Military Appreciation Day. All active-duty and reserve personnel (with ID) and those with deployed spouses (must bring deployed spouse certificate) will be admitted free to the fairgrounds.
Gate fees to enter the fairgrounds are $3 for individuals seven years of age and older.
New this year is an Wednesday evening Open Team Sorting event this evening, beginning at 7 p.m. at the rodeo grounds. Anyone is welcome to participate.
Events for Thursday, July 18, include the annual All Youth Junior Rodeo at the rodeo grounds. The rodeo begins at 5 p.m. Kelly Mack will perform on the midway, from 8-10 p.m.
The ICA rodeo will be held on Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 8 p.m. both nights. Entry to the rodeo is $9 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, $3 for youths and those under five years of age enter free. Students (college, school age, etc.) with a current student ID get free fairground admission all week long.
Parking for rodeo spectators has been changed this year. A field behind the livestock chutes has been fenced off for parking, which also will prevent people from entering the rodeo without paying admission, said Fair Director Rena Kerfoot. The old parking area, located behind the stands, will be used solely as a camping area for rodeo contestants.
On both Friday and Saturday nights, the Jeff Palmer Band will perform on the midway from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
In between the featured events will be a variety of family-oriented activities and exhibits.
Fairgoers are welcome to visit the livestock barns and speak with 4-H and Optimist youth about their projects. Non-livestock projects will be displayed in the south room of the exhibit hall.
Cook's Racing Pigs are back, a popular activity that brings "squeals" of delight from spectators.
Mountain Home Air Force Base also will bring back its popular Inflated Boxing equipment.
Both of those activities will be set up near the carnival.
New activities at this year's fair include a mechanical bull, which will be located on the midway, and a 4-H "Shooting Trailer" where anyone over the age of 8 years can shoot at targets with airguns. The trailer will be located near the livestock barns.
The Glenns Ferry Pilot Football team is slated to have a Football Toss Booth and local girls will have a booth to raise funds for the creation of a local Girl Scout Troop.
The Dirt Track Masters also will offer a radio control demonstration on Friday between 4-5 p.m.
An Open Youth Tractor Driving event, sponsored by the 4-H, will be held on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
Livestock shows for the 4-H and Optimist Ag Youth program culminate on Saturday, July 20, with the annual 4-H Buyers' Breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by the 4-H Livestock Sale at 9 a.m. The Optimist Livestock Sale is at 11:30 a.m., followed by that organization's Buyers' Luncheon.
Visitors will notice some changes in the exhibit hall this year. Thanks to Idaho Power Company, lighting upgrades have been accomplished. The ceiling in the main room of the building has been paneled with donated plywood, courtesy of John and Geri Brennan.
Funds raised by the Glenns Ferry Chamber's Economic Development Committee's Fall Fest last October allowed for the purchase of loose insulation that was blown into the ceiling courtesy of volunteers from Mountain Home Air Force Base, said Rena Kerfoot, executive director for the Elmore County Fair and Rodeo.