Logan County Fair features three days of harness racing

LINCOLN, Ill. — The Logan County Fair, July 31 to Aug. 7, will kick off with three days of harness racing.

The racing competitions will include trotters and pacers.

“We have the Downstate Classic on Sunday, July 31,” said Mike Maske, secretary of the Logan County Fair. “We have some of the best racers in the county competing and it’s right before the state fair, so everyone is getting tuned up.”

Last year, about 60 horses competed in the racing at the fair.

“I don’t know of any downstate program that has 60 horses on one day,” Maske said. “There used to be 50 to 55 county fairs that had harness racing, but now I think it’s down to 20 or less.”

The Logan County Fair is a traditional county fair in central Illinois.

“It’s like come home week — everybody comes back for the fair,” Maske said about the fair celebrating its 86th year.

“We’re tickled to have the opportunity to see our fair people,” said Maske, who has served as secretary of the fair for the past 20 years. “A lot of times you’ll go a whole year and not see your fair friends.”

A variety of grandstand events will be held at the fair starting on Tuesday evening with the queen pageant.

“We have livestock scrambles, ITPA tractor pull and a rodeo on Friday night,” Maske said. “We’ve brought the rodeo back about three years ago and it’s been a favorite.”

On Saturday evening, 38 Special will be featured at the grandstand and the demolition derby is set for Sunday.

Tinsley Amusements will provide carnival rides at the Logan County Fair.

“These guys are tremendous,” Maske said.

“We have the cleanest county fair in the state of Illinois with clean restrooms and no trash on the ground,” he added. “We pride ourselves of that and it is everybody’s effort to get the trash picked up.”

Admission prices are $3 per person, kids 12 and under are free, parking pass is $7 and season passes are available at $16.

“We have the idea if we get people in the fair at a good price, they’ll come back every night,” Maske said.

For more information about the Logan County Fair, go to www.logancountyfairil.com.