Pottawatomie County’s 84th annual Free Fair kicks off next week on Wednesday, Sep. 6 when all non-livestock entries may be brought to the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee.
Randy Gilbert, chairman of the Pottawatomie County Free Fair Board, said the annual fair runs through Saturday, Sep. 9.
Suzanne Gilbert, Randy’s wife, is in her 32nd year helping to organize the fair. She reiterated the non-livestock exhibits may be brought to the Expo Center between 3 and 6 p.m. on Sep. 6.
Randy noted judging of all those nonlivestock exhibits will take place Thursday morning, Sep. 7.
“Actual kickoff of the fair is Thursday evening, Sep. 7, with the Farmer Rancher Appreciation dinner at 5:30 p.m.,” he said.
The Big Bass contest returns for the second consecutive year. There is a $20 entry fee due by 8 p.m. Sep. 6 with weigh-in anytime until 10 p.m. on Sep. 7.
Randy said Friday, Sep. 8, will be kids day with students in grades second through fourth being bussed to the fair.
Commercial exhibits will open in the Conference Center at 5 p.m. on Thursday and remain open until 8 p.m., then on Friday and Saturday is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The Commercial booths and livestock portion of the fair close nightly at 8 p.m., Randy said, except some of the event areas will be open until 9:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
The Children’s Barnyard also returns Friday morning for the first time since COVID broke out in 2020 and will be open Saturday as well.
Inflatables will be open from 9 a.m to 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
“There is something for everybody,” Randy said, noting, “It doesn’t make any difference if you are only 4 or are 80 years old. There is something for you,” he believes.
Also on Friday, beef cattle will be brought in and will be judged beginning at 1 p.m.
Suzanne said this would be the 85th annual fair except it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID.
Friday and Saturday there will be some small outside activities for the kids of all ages, she explained.
Throughout the day Friday and Saturday, will be demonstrations of Fetch and Fish and dog demonstrations.
The Karokee singing contest will be held Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Stage in Section B.
Randy said throughout the fair there be Antique Tractor Display and Demonstrations.
There is a barrel racing on Friday night in the Fred Humphrey building starting at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, the annual Kiwanis Kids Day starts at 10 a.m. as does the Firefighters Olympics which will be held east of the Conference Center.
Swine move in early on Saturday with judging beginning at 8:30 a.m. followed by sheep and goats.
At noon on Saturday, the livestock judging contest will be held for all 4-H and FFA members, Randy said.
Saturday beginning at 7 p.m., there will be the annual Tractor Pulling contest which will be preceded by the Awards Assembly at 6 p.m.