By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — Under the theme of “Cowboy Boots and Country Roots,” the carnival at the Dunn County Fair opens today, July 24, at 5 p.m., with the fair ending Sunday, July 28, when the carnival closes at 6 p.m.
Admission to the fair at the Dunn County Rec Park in Menomonie is $5 per person or $15 for the entire fair. A family pass is $25, and children five and under are free.
Parking at the fairgrounds is free.
Carnival
Wristbands for the carnival today, Wednesday, cost $16 and can be used from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sheridan Amusements is providing the carnival on the midway and is new to the Dunn County Fair this year.
Thursday, the carnival opens at 1 p.m., and all rides are $1 each until closing.
Wristbands on both Friday and Saturday are from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. and cost $20.
Wristbands on Sunday are from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and cost $16.
Animal judging
Animal judging began at the Dunn County Fair on Tuesday, July 23, at 9 a.m. with dog judging.
Cat judging was at 3 p.m. Tuesday, and Aerospace, Mechanical Sciences and Computer judging took place at 5 p.m.
Judging continued today, Wednesday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and going until 4 p.m. with all non-animal judging.
Thursday, judging begins at 9 a.m. with dairy, rabbits and goats.
Exotic animal judging is scheduled at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Sheep judging will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, and horse Gymkhana and Gaming will start at 3 p.m.
Judging continues on Friday at 9 a.m. with swine and poultry.
Beef judging is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday.
Judging continues on Saturday at 8 a.m. with horse judging.
The Little Britches Show will be held at noon on Sunday.
Auctions
The small animal auction, featuring poultry and rabbits, will be held in the small animal exhibit building at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The meat animal auction, featuring pigs, beef, sheep and goats, will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday outdoors near the livestock barn.
Free stage
Entertainment on the Free Stage will begin at 7 p.m. this evening, Wednesday, with Rich Schroeder and the crowning of the 2019 Fairest of the Fair.
On Thursday at the Free Stage at 7 p.m. Thistle & Lace will perform.
Free Stage entertainment continues at 7 p.m. Friday when the Home Grown Tomatoes Band will perform.
Two performances will be held at the Free Stage on Saturday with Tommy Dare scheduled at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., and Rural Route 5 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
At noon on Sunday at the Free Stage will be The Memories Gospel Show.
The Dunn County 4-H awards ceremony will be held at the Free Stage at 1 p.m. Sunday, followed by The Memories Variety Show at 2:30 p.m.
Grandstand
Grandstand entertainment at the Dunn County Fair begins at 7 p.m. Thursday with the Red Cedar Races.
Red Cedar Races will again be held at the grandstand at 7 p.m. Friday.
The National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) Regional National Event will be held at the grandstand at 7 p.m. Saturday.
At 11 a.m. Sunday at the grandstand will be the Dunn County Fair Farm Tractor Pull, and at 5 p.m., the Demolition Derby will begin.
A Kiddy Tractor Pull is scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday, although there is no indication on the schedule of where this event will be held.
Chicken dinner
The Menomonie Masonic Lodge 164 will be holding a chicken dinner at 11 a.m. Sunday in the food court.
Also at 11 a.m. Sunday, the 4-H Pie & Ice Cream Social will begin.
Commercial building
The commercial building at the Dunn County Fair will be open at 8 a.m. Wednesday and closes at 10 p.m.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the commercial building is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
On Sunday, the commercial building opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
For more information about the Dunn County Fair, visit www.dunncountyfair.org.
You can also follow the Dunn County Fair on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
