BROWN COUNTY FAIR
The Brown County Fair begins the fourth Monday in the month of September annually. If you are a Brown County family that participates in the fair this isn’t the beginning of the fair for you. Our communities love the fair and prepare year round. Breeding for livestock projects takes place year round for the next fair. Senior Fair and Junior Fair boards meet monthly to discuss all aspects of the fair that the general public may not consider. 4-H Clubs, FFA Chapters, Girl Scout Troops, Boy Scout packs all enroll in Junior Fair projects earlier in the year. Non-profit organizations plan their fair booth each year by determining what they will be offering for sale to raise funds to support their organization. Politicians running for office make sure their campaign signs and t-shirts are on point and attention getting. Farmers and Gardeners plant in hopes their entry is the Best of Show that year at the fair. Businesses sign up for their Merchants booth to advertise their company and attract new customers. Families who stay all week at the fair make sure their fair camper is ready to go. Those from out of county or even out of state that come to pull tractors and trucks or show horses will make sure they have the dates of next year’s fair before they depart each year.
Atmosphere at the Brown County Fair is one of community and support. Everyone helps everyone. Left your manure fork at home, no problem use the one that belongs to the person next to you. No one cares. Can’t seem to get your camper level, no worries the family to the left or right have extra blocks. Did your camera mess up and your kid is next in the ring to show their project that they’ve worked hard on all year, no worries. There are 20 other parents standing by happy to take pictures for you and send them to you on the spot. As a kid you ate way too much and got on the biggest baddest ride on the fairground and suddenly you are sick. No worries your friends will get you back to the nearest parent. May not be your parent but nonetheless that parent will handle it.
Our Senior Fair board is the foundation and backbone of the fair. Their job isn’t an easy one. Endless hours of planning and preparation but ultimately they pull it off year after year giving those attending the fair an experience they will never forget. As a Senior Fair board member you as an individual aren’t committing just yourself to the fair but your entire family to this amazing over the top experience every year. Each year our Senior Fair board prepares for all the knowns and unknowns of each year’s fair.
The one thing that you cannot prepare for when it comes to the Brown County Fair is the weather. It never seems to cooperate. 2019 had record breaking heat and 2018 was a monsoon. I can remember snow, tornado, and freezing temperatures as well. The fair takes care of the fair. When times of bad or unexpected weather happen everyone pulls together and takes care of each other. Parents of other kids you just met suddenly become your parent as well. Making sure in the sweltering heat you’ve had enough to drink. That your barn boots are not leaking in the pouring rain when as a kid you insist on being out in the weather with your friends. Moms and Dads who stay week long at the fair will feed kids they’ve never met because they too can remember being a kid at the fair and wanting to save all their money for the Midway and rides.
What does all this mean? You need to experience The Little State Fair at least once in your life if you haven’t already. If you haven’t, get a calendar and find the fourth Monday in September and plan on attending the Brown County Fair. You won’t regret it!
