Change marks 2007 edition of fair

By Ronald Bond - Argus Observer
Friday, June 29, 2007 11:53 AM PDT

Malheur Country Fair Secretary Manager Janeen Kressly files paperwork in the fairgrounds office Tuesday. The 98th Malheur Country Fair is scheduled to begin a day early this year, as it will run from July 31 to August 4.

Ontario - For the 98th year, the Malheur County Fair will be back in Ontario.

This time, however, there will be at least one big change.

The fair, which has traditionally run Wednesday through Saturday, will open a day earlier this year. Gates at the fair will open Tuesday, July 31.

“It’s just kind of a natural growth,” Malheur County Fair Secretary Manager Janeen Kressly said. “It’s a natural day to expand. We have the people out here, so we decided, ‘Let’s expand. Let’s have activities for that night.’”

The fairgrounds will be open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 31, with activities including a Basque country dance group, several youth events and the Bi-Mart battle of the bands.

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The admission rate for that day will also be reduced to $2.

Also this year, several event traditionally held on Tuesday will actually occur Monday. For example, all the exhibits for the Red Barn will be in Monday, July 30, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the judging for these will take place Tuesday, July 31. The flower exhibit drop off date, however, has not moved, and will be from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m Wednesday, Aug. 1.

The rest of the activities for the week are expected to remain close to form. Wednesday, Aug. 1, kicks off with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce breakfast beginning at 7 a.m., hosted by the Vale, Nyssa and Ontario chambers.

The fair gates open daily at 8 a.m. and the fairgrounds remain open until midnight. Daily activities include the Outlaw Lawn Dragsters performance and Long Road Home, a Vale entertainment group Aug. 1. A talent show, team roping, Ontario Antique Road Show and the Silverleaf Square Dancers highlight the entertainment Aug. 2 while Tony Smiley, the wild sheep fitting contest and the beginning of the rodeo will fill the fair docket Aug. 3.

A slew of activities are also slated for Aug. 4, the final night of the fair.

The activity list for Aug. 4 includes the KSRV pretty baby contest, junior livestock auction and dairy heifer sale, a motorcycle ‘Show and Shine’ event, a watermelon seed spitting contest, the final night of the rodeo and a performance by Coyote Creek on the Malheur Federal Credit Union stage.

Some performers will also be in action each day during the fair, including hypnotist Marc Denni and clowns Boomer and Snicklefritz. There will also be an animal display by Cyprus Hill Reptile Reserve and daily 4H/FFA shows leading up to the Saturday auction. The carnival is also back again, and will be running each afternoon and evening starting on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Admission prices for the fair are $5 each day, and free for youth 5 and younger.

Weeklong passes are also available for $15 and can be picked up on Aug. 1 or in advance at the fair office. Applications for the talent show are available at the fair office and need to be turned back into the office by July 23. Those interested in submitting an entry for the pretty baby contest need to pre-register with KSRV before the day of the contest, which is Aug. 4, and sign up sheets for the battle of the bands are also available at the fair office.

For more information, contact the fairground office at (541) 889-3431 or visit the office on the fairgrounds between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.