Kane County Fair opens with hot weather, rides and bears
Dozens of families were already lined up, waiting to purchase tickets when the Kane County Fair opened at 3 p.m. Wednesday in St. Charles.
The fair boasts a number of new attractions this year, which include a live bear show, the Jack Axe feats of strength competition and a Country Music Association award-winning singer-songwriter. But board president Larry Breon of Batavia said the effort flowed smoothly.
"There's always some issue, but that's just the nature of the beast," Breon said. "There's so many things to organize. There are always a couple hiccups or two but you work through them."
Weather was certainly not an issue on the hot July afternoon. And families were eager for the rides to open.
The Crittenden family from Sycamore brought their four children out to celebrate their son Drake's sixth birthday. The rides didn't scare the kids - and neither did the knowledge that a grizzly bear was roaming the grounds. But Johnny B. Welde's Big Bear Show is not meant to strike fear into youngsters, but rather educate them on a number of threats facing the wide range of bears in the world.
"He's going to teach kids about the bears, what it takes to keep them from going extinct," Breon said. "It will be very educational and I think it will be a really fun thing."
The bears are visiting from Bearadise Ranch in Myakka City, Florida. The show, which happens every day, features four bears, including European brown Grizzly bears.
The bears, which can grow up to 8 feet tall and 650 pounds, live in a recreated natural habitat for most of the year. The show stresses the importance of habitat conservation and preventing poaching.
"Kids don't really freak out, it's really educational," said Crystal Coronis, Welde's girlfriend. "The kids get to come out and see exotic animals up close that they probably won't have another chance to see."
Daily activities at the fair, which continues through Sunday, include the Kane County 4-H exhibits and judging, pig races, midway games and rides, magic shows and a petting zoo. Bands scheduled to play on the Miller Lite Sound Stage include Hi-Infidelity, Hillbilly Rockstarz, The Neverly Brothers and American English. Grandstand shows, which require an additional fee, include bull riding on Friday and Saturday and a demolition derby on Sunday.
For details, visit www.kanecountyfair.com.
Fair: Grizzly bear show among the featured attractions