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McHenry County Fair adds rodeo, new entertainers

Since 1949, McHenry area farmers and folks just looking for a day of fun have headed to the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock for the McHenry County Fair.

Last year, the fair had 86,000 attendees; this year, Ken Bauman, president of the McHenry County Fair Association, is hoping to see that number go up to 100,000.

With the new inclusion of a rodeo, more free events for children and new entertainers, he may see that dream come true.

Making its debut at the fair, the Broken Horn Rodeo belongs to several professional rodeo associations and draws participants from around the country.

“This rodeo will be sanctioned by three different professional organizations and we should have about 100-150 cowboys participating. We'll have more than enough to do a real good performance,” said Jim McElroy, patriarch of the Ripley, Ohio-based family-run rodeo, who has been participating in rodeos since he was 4 years old.

“I was born in Wyoming and it kind of stuck with me all my life,” he said.

The grandstand show, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, will feature a full night of rodeo events, according to McElroy.

“We offer bare back riding, saddled bronco riding, calf roping, ladies barrel racing, steer riding, teen roping and bull riding,” he said.

A large crowd is expected to attend the fair's first rodeo, but other grandstand events such as KTM motocross racing, the demolition derby and tractor pulls draw crowds as well.

“The grandstand events are probably the most popular,” Bauman said. “Also, Friday night we have a band called Clutch Cargo, that plays rock; Saturday we have Suburban Cowboys, and they play current country.”

Taking in these events will be more comfortable due to another addition to the Fair, according to Frank Jearms, fair director.

“The entertainment tent, which is our beer tent, is right next to the track,” he said. “You can watch all of the things that are happening at the fair there.”

A number of improvements have taken place on the grounds in the last two years, with an eye toward comfort and expansion, Jearms said. “It's not like it was 10 years ago,” he said. ”We put up new buildings. We changed the grounds considerably. We put up a 150-foot retaining wall with bushes and fences on top. We've redone the swine barn completely, we've redone the goat barn and the sheep barn.”

The fair association has also redone the track and added lights.

“We've done about a half a million dollars worth of improvements over the last three years, most of it from donors,” Jearms said. “We work well with our local businesses and they help us out tremendously, giving us machinery and helping us out down the line.”

Even with its modern updates, the fair aims to stay true to its rural roots, which are the draw for many fairgoers.

“We do have some new modern and antique farm equipment coming in. We have the usual, sheep, swine, cattle,” Bauman said.

The 4-H, the youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture, will present the farm animals they've raised, along with a program aimed at farmers.

“We have a new thing called Conservation World which will be through the 4-H club,” Bauman said, “The long-range plans are to educate about why prairie management is important: managing our soil, and conserving it.”

An educational program for children called Barnyard Buddies is among the free activities for families.

“It's an educational petting zoo; letting kids be farmers for a day learning about fruits and vegetables and observing chicks in incubators and exploring farm life,” Baumer said. “Some chicks are hatching; we're hoping they don't all hatch at once.”

“We have the pedal pull where kids can do like the big tractor pulls using pedal tractors and pedal trucks,” he added. There will also be magic and music shows.

For kids of all ages, a 15-acre carnival will provide rides and games.

Contests are another staple of McHenry County Fair. “We have a lip sync battle and if they go on our website or Facebook they can sign up for that,” said Baumer.

A mother/daughter look-a-like contest is still open to contestants on those same sites. “They can sign up before 6 p.m. on Thursday,” Baumer continued. “It keeps growing and growing. A lot of mothers and daughters look alike when you put them side-by-side. Certain things like their posture — it's really unique.”

The crowning of the Queen of McHenry County will take place at the pageant, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, with a $2,000 scholarship available and the opportunity to represent McHenry in January at the Miss Illinois County Fair pageant. Thirteen contestants, ages 16-21, will vie for the title.

According to Jearms, the fair has been gaining popularity over the last three years.

“Our attendance last year was better than it's been in 20 years,” he said.

Weather can often take a toll on outdoor event attendance, but Bauman doesn't see why it should matter at the fair.

“All of our free entertainment this year will be under the big tent so you can be out of the sun or heat. We're trying to gear it up this way,” Bauman said.

“But, if it rains, you just have to wait it out for an hour or two, go shopping in the buildings and get back at it.”

For details, visit mchenrycountyfair.com/.

  Chad Westbrook of Woodstock, 26, competes in the pit bike class at the motocross racing event at a previous McHenry County Fair in Woodstock. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Fair food: Booths selling hot dogs, nachos, ice cream and other munchies are always popular at the McHenry County Fair. BRIAN HILL/bhill@dailyherald.com
  The McHenry County Fair Queen pageant, a long-standing tradition, takes place Wednesday, Aug. 5. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  This year the McHenry County Fair will feature a rodeo on Thursday, Aug. 6. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com

If you go

What: The McHenry County Fair

When: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 5-9

Where: McHenry County Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock

Admission: season pass, $20; family pass, (four family members of any age), $25; Wednesday and Thursday one-day passes: adults, $6; children 8-13 and seniors older than 60, $3; military with ID, free; Friday, Saturday and Sunday one-day passes: adults, $8; children, seniors and military, $4. Free daily admission for children age 7 and younger.

Details: <a href="http://mchenrycountyfair.com">mchenrycountyfair.com</a>

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