Elmore County Fair opens next week

Alexis Letendre, with the Waca Paca 4-H group, shows her alpaca, "Jumpin' Jack Flash," during this scene from last year's fair.

The Elmore County Fair opens next week with a carnival, a rodeo exhibits and vendors.

The first activities take place on Sunday, July 14, with 4-H and Optimist Ag Youth program activities. Equestrian events will be the focus on Sunday and Monday. Weigh-in for 4-H and Optimist Ag Youth livestock begins on Monday and the youth will show their livestock projects in the show rings Tuesday through Friday.

Livestock shows culminate on Saturday, July 20, with the annual 4-H Buyers' Breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by the 4-H Livestock Sale at 9 a.m. and the Optimist Livestock Sale at 11:30 a.m., followed by that organization's Buyers' Luncheon.

Open class exhibits, excluding perishables, will be accepted between 6-9 p.m. on Monday, July 16. Perishables must be entered from 8-11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 17.

For the general public, the fair really opens next Wednesday, July 17.

The Exhibit Hall opens to the public on that day at noon, and the Town & Country Shows Carnival opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The carnival will include a string of rides such as The Scrambler, Space Train, Super Slide, Fun Slide, as well as a roller coaster, an obstacle course, a ladder challenge, a bounce house and assorted carnival-style games.

Wednesday also is Military Appreciation Day and all active and reserve personnel (with ID) and those with deployed spouses (must bring deployed spouse certificate) will be admitted free to the fairgrounds.

Events for Thursday, July 18, include the annual All Youth Junior Rodeo at the rodeo grounds. The rodeo begins at 5 p.m.

Kelly Mack will perform on the midway, July 18, 19 and 20, from 8-10 p.m. each night.

The ICA rodeo will be held on Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 8 p.m. both nights.

On both evenings the Jeff Palmer Band will perform on the midway from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Gate fees to enter the fairgrounds are $3 for individuals seven years of age and older.

Entry to the rodeo is $9 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, $3 for youths, and those under five years of age enter free. Students (college, school age, etc.) with a current student ID get free fairground admission all week long.

In between the featured events will be a variety of other family-oriented activities and exhibits.

Fairgoers are welcome to visit the livestock barns and speak with 4-H and Optimist youth about their projects. Non-livestock projects will be displayed in the south room of the exhibit hall.

Cook's Racing Pig is backs, a popular activity that brings "squeals" of delight from spectators.

Mountain Home Air Force Base will bring back its popular Inflated Boxing equipment.

Both of those activities will be set up near the carnival.

New activities at this year's fair include a mechanical bull, which will be located on the midway, and a 4-H "Shooting Trailer" where anyone over the age of 8 years can shoot at targets with airguns. The trailer will be located near the livestock barns.

The Glenns Ferry Pilot Football team is slated to have a Football Toss Booth and local girls will have a booth to raise funds for the creation of a local Girl Scout Troop.

Also new this year is a Wednesday evening Open Team Sorting. Anyone is welcome to participate in the event, which will take place at 7 p.m. at the rodeo grounds.

The Dirt Track Masters also will offer a radio control demonstration on Friday between 4-5 p.m.

An Open Youth Tractor Driving event, sponsored by the 4-H, will be held on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Visitors will notice some changes in the exhibit hall this year. Thanks to Idaho Power Company, lighting upgrades have been accomplished. The ceiling in the main room of the building has been paneled with donated plywood, courtesy of John and Geri Brennan. Funds raised by the Glenns Ferry Chamber's Economic Development Committee's Fall Fest last October allowed for the purchase of loose insulation that was blown into the ceiling courtesy of volunteers from Mountain Home Air Force Base, said Rena Kerfoot, executive director for the Elmore County Fair and Rodeo (ECFR).

Also different this year is parking for rodeo spectators. A field behind the livestock chutes has been fenced off for that purpose. It also will prevent people from entering the rodeo without paying admission, said Kerfoot. The old parking area, located behind the stands, will be used solely as a camping area for rodeo contestants.

Premium Books for the 2013 Elmore County Fair are now available at select businesses in Glenns Ferry and Mountain Home.

A full schedule of all activities and events is available on the back page of the Premium Book, which can be found in Mountain Home, the books can be picked up at D&B Supply, Paul's Market, Jim's Lumber, the Chamber of Commerce, A to Z, the Desert Mountain Visitor's Center, City Hall, Sidewayz Beauty Shop, Altertson's, Mulberry Place, Gingerbread House, Yard Creations, Mountain Home Pro Real Estate, the fair office and other locations throughout Mountain Home. In Glenns Ferry, they are available at Southside Market, the Corner Market, Hometown Hardware, the Glenns Ferry City Hall, JTS and other businesses.