March 28, 2024

Livingston County: Fair carries on ag tradition

PONTIAC, Ill. — Ninety-one years ago a group of volunteers hosted an agricultural fair in Livingston County and numerous volunteers carry on that tradition this year.

Each of the fair’s days is filled with judging contests, displays, carnival rides, food and entertainment and conclude with exciting grandstand shows.

A world championship rodeo is on tap for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 21, in the grandstand area. The event will be presented by Broken Horn Rodeo Company, operated by Jim and Sandy McElroy and their sons, Kenny and Kevin, of Ripley, Ohio. The family combines their talents in the rodeo industry to ensure top quality performances and to keep this American tradition alive.

A demolition derby by Ramer Race Promotion will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 23, at the grandstand. Ramer Race Promotions has been promoting demolition derbies at Illinois fairs and festivals for over 20 years.

The fair concludes with the rumble of horsepower on Saturday, July 24, with tractor pulls beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Illini State Pullers class lineup will be 8,000-pound hot street diesel trucks, 6,000 NA trucks, 6,000 light super stock tractors, 11,000 too hot to farm tractors, 6,500 open, 1,050 super stock garden tractors, and a stock class offered of 8,000 stock diesel trucks.

Daily happenings throughout the fair will feature magician Rob Thompson, Kidsbucks Game Show, Whimsy Pixie face painting, and chainsaw sculpting demonstrations.

Thompson’s well over 200 performances per year have been featured in casino showrooms, corporate events, theaters and festivals across the United States where he has honed his skills to a level of perfection that is both mystifying and entertaining.

Kidbucks is a thrilling game show where randomly selected members of the audience, participate in wild and crazy games. The grand champion enters the Kidbucks chamber and grabs as many “Kidbucks” as possible, as they swirl about the chamber. The bucks are tallied and redeemed for a prize based on how many bucks are collected.

Agriculture continues to be the foundation of this event with sheep, dairy, goats, horses, beef cattle, swine, poultry and other shows. There will also be 4-H judging for a wide variety of other projects ranging from horticulture, woodworking and entomology to electronics, leadership and rocketry.

Fairgoers can also enjoy the renovated kitchen for home-cooked breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Livingston County Fair

July 21-24

18142 4-H Park Road. Pontiac, Illinois

www.livingstoncountyagfair.com