By Pete Soyer
The Blaine County Fair is gearing up to start on Thursday.
The Mighty Thomas Carnival opens at 6 p.m. at the Blaine County Fairgrounds in Chinook and the kids rodeo kicks off the line of events scheduled through the weekend.
Rob Reid, Blaine County Fair Board member, said Mighty Thomas is a major carnival that will be heading to Great Falls for the Montana State Fair after the Blaine County Fair.
Along with the ferris wheel, carousel and midway games, people can enjoy daily entertainment on the free stage and the main stage of the fairgrounds.
The Freddy Perez Show, which mixes entertainment and education and is geared toward kids, is performing seven times throughout the fair. The first show is at 3 p.m. Friday.
The entertainment goes on into the evenings too. "The night show is excellent," Reid said.
The Doo/Wah Riders, a contemporary country band that performed at the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas, will be performing on Friday evening.
Another band, Polo Loco, will be playing free shows throughout the fair. Band members also will be walking and playing around the midway.
Polo Loco also will play during the 4-H Buyer's Social at 3 p.m. Saturday. The social gives people a chance to talk to the 4-H kids about their livestock before the auction, Reid said. The livestock auction takes place at 4 p.m. in the new indoor sale and show arena. Beef, sheep and hogs will be up for auction.
Some new features this year include the new sale barn and show arena for the 4-H livestock sales. An outdoor shade area will be set up this year with tables and chairs for people to take a break from the sun.
Reid said tons of food will be sold by local groups, "everything from Mexican to American." The 4-H Chuck Wagon will be there, and the Eagles, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Lions and Fun Shine Day Care, among others, will have food booths. "That is what the fair's all about," Reid said.
The food booths and beer garden are open Thursday through Sunday.
The Open Rodeo is Saturday night at 8.
The Demolition Derby closes the fair on Sunday. The derby gets under way at 6 p.m. and tickets are available at the gate.
Local businesses will be setting up commercial booths, and Reid said a few spots are still open. "Forty dollars for three days, you can't beat that," he said.
Tickets for the carnival are already on sale in Chinook at Tom and Nancy's, Chinook Pharmacy and The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion. They are available in Harlem at Albertson's and Hart of the West and in Turner at Sunford Grocery. An armband for the carnival costs $12 in advance and $15 at the gate for a day. On Thursday the armbands are good for 6 to 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday the armbands are good for 2 to 6 p.m. and 6 to 11 p.m. On Sunday the armbands are good for 2 to 8 p.m.
Schedule of major fair events
Thursday:
10 a.m. Most food booths open
4 p.m. Entry of all 4-H, FFA and Open livestock
5 p.m. 4-H Chuck Wagon open
5 p.m. Beer garden open
5 p.m. Kids Rodeo
6 p.m. Midway open
Friday:
8 a.m. 4-H exhibit building open
9 a.m. Opening ceremony
10 a.m. All food booths open
Noon Commercial building open
1 p.m. Midway open
6 p.m. Freddy Perez show
8 p.m. Doo/Wah Riders
8 p.m. Beer garden opens
Saturday:
11 a.m. Freddy Perez show
1 p.m. Freddy Perez kids event
1 p.m. - Midway opens
3 p.m. Polo Loco show
3 p.m. 4-H Buyers Social
4 p.m. 4-H youth livestock sale
6 p.m. Beer garden opens
7 p.m. Freddy Perez show
8 p.m. Open rodeo
9 pm. Freddy Perez show
Sunday
8 a.m. 4-H project demonstrations
10 a.m. Exhibit buildings open
10 a.m. Food booths open
11 a.m. Freddy Perez show
Noon Beer garden open
1 p.m. Freddy Perez show
1 p.m. Horseshoes
2 p.m. Polo Loco show
3 p.m. Lawn mower race
6 p.m. Demolition Derby
