Whitley County Fair underway

A donkey race and a pet show are two of the new events lined up for this year’s Whitley County Fair, which will take place Friday and Saturday.
“We are keeping the fair going, adding new events, and trying different things with it,” said Whitley County Fair Board Chairman Harry Alder.
“We just want to invite everyone to come out, have a good time, and enjoy the various events we have. I think we have something for everybody.”
The fair will kick off Thursday with registration for the farm and home exhibits from 2 to 6 p.m.
The displays will then be on exhibit during the day Friday in the high school vo-ag building, and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Alder said the donkey race will kick off festivities at 3-R Arena, and will take place at 7 p.m. Friday prior to the annual fun horse show.
Alder said 10 donkeys have been lined up for the race, which will include five elimination races.
“The top two finishers out of each elimination race will race in the final competitive race for the championship. It will precede the fun horse show, which will start at 8 p.m.,” Alder noted.
Saturday morning, the fair will hold its annual mule pull at 3-R Arena, which is traditionally one of the most popular events.
A pet show, which is sponsored by the News Journal and the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter, will take place at 11 a.m. at the high school vo-ag building.
“We haven’t had that before. It is a new addition,” Alder noted. “We have some different exhibits, which will be available over at the high school near the vo-ag building.”
From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, the Whitley County Goat Breeders Association will have a booth showing off the different kinds of goats being raised locally.
“We also have the bee keepers association, which is getting pretty big in the county, that has a booth over there demonstrating their bee keeping operations,” Alder noted.
In addition, the Whitley County Cattleman’s Association and the Whitley County Soybean Board will also set up a booth.
“With this new push for alternative fuels, soybeans are one of the sources,” Alder said.
Instead of a car show this year, the fair will instead have a cruise in at the Whitley County Middle School from noon until 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Loaded Dice Dance Team will offer live entertainment at 2 p.m.
The fair will finish with its grand finale Saturday night with the annual horse show that will start at 7 p.m.