Staff Reports
The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair officially opens at 5 p.m. today, but there’s plenty to do before that official moment when the Midway opens.
Area 4-H’ers will be checking in their livestock this morning, followed by antique farm display entries due all afternoon.
For those interested in incorporating some exercise with their fair visit, Fair Fit Zumba with Christal Downing of Total Fitness will be at 6 p.m. in the David Boll Theatre.
Grandstand activities will kick off at 7 p.m. with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling Series for trucks and tractors.
And the popular 4-H watermelon relay is featured at the horse arena at 8 p.m. An estimated 40 to 50 4-H’ers are expected to join a team, which are grouped by age, and compete for the prestige and bragging rights of being watermelon relay champions.
In this contest, team members pick out the watermelon of their choice, and carry it while navigating an obstacle course that involves traveling over and under and through barriers, obstacles and hay bales.
The 4-H’ers crawl, hop and run as quickly as they can through the course, and the best time wins.
There’s even a water obstacle thrown in to make sure the watermelon gets good and slippery by the end of the course.
Many a watermelon is dropped and there are many pictures taken for social media, said Larry Fisher, fair board president.
“The 4-H’ers get pretty muddy and dirty; it’s a good way to start off the fair,” he said.
And it also has one other benefit, Fisher said.
“It gets them ready for the greased pig contest,” he said.
That competition is 8 p.m. July 17 at the grandstand.
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The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair is at 750 W. County Road 200S, Garden City.
Admission to the fair is free, although fees apply for midway rides and grandstand entertainment.
Parking fees will be collected starting at 1 p.m.
VIP parking will be provided at Southside Elementary School by the Columbus FFA. Parking is $5 per day while space is available.
A $15 general parking pass that allows weekly entrance through Gate C is available for purchase at the fair office.
Handicapped parking is available for vehicles with a state-issued handicapped parking pass, located near Southside Elementary School off County Road 200S.
Information: bartholomewcountyfair.com, 812-372-6133
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For today’s Bartholomew County Fair schedule, see Page XX.
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