This year’s 146th annual Fairbury Fair will feature another country music star and a new carnival.
John Michael Montgomery, known for a string of hits in the 1990s, headlines the Friday night concert at the grandstand on Aug. 19. Montgomery had 15 number one singles and sold over 16 million albums.
“He is going to be with the Feudin’ Hillbillys,” said Kelly Honegger, Fairbury Fair vice president.
Gates will open at 5 p.m. with the show at 6:30 p.m. More information and ticket sales are available online.
A monster truck show will be presented Aug. 17, which is opening night of the 2022 fair. The golf cart rodeo is Aug. 18 which is free for everyone and a popular bar-b-que cookoff returns Aug. 20 with stock car races that night.
“Also, that afternoon we’ll have a golf car scavenger hunt,” explained Honegger.
The Sunday chili cookoff will be on the final day of the fair along with the demolition derby the afternoon of Aug. 21.
Conner Family Amusements will provide the carnival, replacing Luehr’s Ideal Rides.
“Things are a little different this year with five wristband sessions,” noted Honegger.
Opening night carnival rides start at 6 p.m. with no wristbands that night. Thursday and Friday night wristband hours will be from 6 to 10 p.m. and two sessions will be offered Saturday: 12 to 4 and 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday’s wristband hours are 12 to 4 p.m.
“The closing of the wristband hours does not necessarily coordinate with the closing of the carnival.”
Ride tickets purchased last year will not work this year since the fair has switched carnivals. Anyone wishing to purchase ride chances in advance does not actually receive a wristband but rather a coupon which is good in exchange for a band when you arrive at the fair. Bands are $20 and good for four-hour sessions.
“It’s a good deal,” added Honegger.
Fair volunteers have been holding pre-sales at various locations around Fairbury and wristbands can be purchased at Dave’s Supermarket, Bank of Pontiac Fairbury locations and First State Bank of Forrest.
The Conner family behind the amusement venture is from Illinois with most of their employees from the same area. There will be a Ferris Wheel on the midway this year.
“We are really looking forward to having a great fair with them,” said Honegger.
Traditional judging also returns to this year’s fair with swine and dairy cattle on Wednesday, beef on Friday, sheep Saturday and goats on Sunday. Judging gets underway Wednesday at Floral Hall with the home-ec type entries. This year’s Floral Hall theme is “All Aboard for Fun at the Fairbury Fair.”
The fair board is still holding its golf cart raffle fundraiser with tickets sold at the races each week and at miscellaneous times and locations up until the fair in August. Tickets are one for $20 or three for $50.
More on the Aug. 17-21 Fairbury Fair can be found at www.thefairburyfair.com or by looking for “Fairbury Fair” on Facebook.
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