For a complete schedule of events, click here.
The Isanti County Fair is taking place this week from Wednesday, July 20, through Sunday, July 24.
Attractions new and old at the fair this year will include rides in the midway, a strongman, balloon artist Ms. Jazz-ee, a Russian wrestling tournament, free trolley rides, 4-H livestock shows, a mechanical milking cow, a bubble gum blowing contest, line dance lessons from the Back Road Kickers dance team, mutton busting, live radio broadcasts and daily and nightly events in the band shell and the grandstand.
Gate admission is $5 for adults, $2 ages 6-12, and ages 5 and under are free. Grandstand events are $7 for adults, ages 6-12 are $3, and children 5 and under are free. A Grandstand special on Wednesday and Thursday is one child 12 and under gets in free with one paid adult grandstand admission.
Lisa Angeski, who serves as secretary for the Isanti County Fair Board, said the planning of each year’s fair begins the day after the previous year’s ends.
“We should be a year ahead,” she said. “That would be best.”
The Fair Board finds the attractions and entertainers they bring to the fair each year in part by attending conventions of different fair associations at the local and national levels. These include the annual convention of the International Federation of Fairs and Expositions and a smaller Minnesota Federation of County Fairs, where the board members gather ideas and information about what to have at the fair.
“We try not to have the same things all the time,” Angeski said.
One notable new attraction at the fair this year is strongman John Beatty.
“This is going to be huge,” Angeski said. “He’s going to be pulling two trucks.” The strongman’s other strength feats include steel bar bending and bare hand nail driving.
Beatty was a finalist on the fifth season of “America’s Got Talent” in 2010. He will give multiple performances each day of the fair. Most of Beatty’s performances will precede another strength-based attraction — MAS wrestling.
MAS wrestling is a sport originally from Russia in which contestants sit across from each other and pull on a wooden stick while bracing their feet against a dividing board. The goal is to either pull the stick away from your opponent or pull them over the board onto your side using a combination of wit and muscular strength.
MAS wrestling at the fair will take place in the kennel shelter on July 23. The kids tournament will be held at 1 p.m., women’s tournament at 3 p.m. and the men’s tournament at 6 p.m.
One popular event returning to the fair is the Night of Destruction, which will take place at 7 p.m. in the grandstand at on Thursday. The Night of Destruction features several different stock car events, including trailer races, in which contestants pull a boat or camper behind their vehicles to see who lasts the longest with trailer attached, and Auto Soccer, in which drivers in two teams of two push another vehicle — designated as the “ball” — to a goal.
Other grandstand events at 7 p.m. include the Tractor Pull on Friday and the Demolition Derby on Saturday.
Angeski said that in putting the fair together the Fair Board also looks to the local community for entertainment options.
“One of our goals is to make sure that everyone gets asked to be a part of the fair,” she said.
Evenings at the fair will feature free live music in the band shell with many local or at least Minnesota-based acts. Larry Loftus and the Wild Horses Band will play at 7 p.m. both Wednesday and Thursday. Horizontal Hero will play at 8 p.m. Friday, and Six to Midnight will play at 8 p.m. Saturday. Sunday there will be live entertainment in the band shell all day, beginning with the Mystery Mountain Boys from 8-11:30 a.m., continuing with the Neighberz Band at 12:30 p.m. and concluding with the annual Isanti County Fair Talent Contest at 3 p.m.
Each day of the fair also has its own theme and discount:
• Wednesday, July 20, is Military Day, featuring free admission for all service personnel and veterans. On Wednesday all rides will be $1.
• Thursday, July 21, is Seniors Day. Seniors 62 and over receive $2 off gate admission. A special Outstanding Seniors Volunteer program to honor Isanti County Outstanding Seniors Gary Hawkins and Jane Moyer will be held from 1-4 p.m. The official awards presentation takes place at 2 p.m.
• Friday, July 22, is Kids Day, featuring kid-friendly entertainment and kids’ games from 8:30 to noon. Angeski is in charge of planning kids day, and she says the children are her favorite part of the fair.
“My favorite part of the fair is seeing the kids come in and watching them smile,” she said. “There’s the smell of mini donuts in the air. Their eyes light up and they see the balloons. It’s just magic.”
• Saturday, July 23, is 4-H Day.
• Sunday, July 24, is Family Day. There will be half-price admission until noon.
For more information visit isanticountyfair.com.