DEXTER, Mo. — The 92nd annual Stoddard County Fair will kick off Tuesday with the Stoddard County Fair Parade in Downtown Dexter starting at 5:30 p.m and run through Saturday, September 21. Activity at the fairgrounds begins immediately after the parade and will not stop for the next five nights.
Tinsley’s Amusements will be on the fairgrounds every night with 18 rides as well as games for fairgoers to enjoy. Throughout the week fairgoers can enjoy live music, a rodeo, the demolition derby, wood carving and more.
The Stoddard County Fair Queen will be crowned Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m. All exhibits will also be accepted on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will be judged on Monday. Livestock entries will be accepted on Monday. Sheep and goats will be judged on Wednesday evening, and Thursday evening the cattle and hogs will go before the judges.
Stoddard County Fair board member Sam Huey stated an auction has been added to Saturday’s lineup this year. For the last several years at the fair the Robinson Chainsaw Carvers have carved different wood figures every night to entertain patrons of the fair. This year the spectators will have an opportunity to take home a carving. Twenty carvings will be made throughout the week and they will then be auctioned Saturday evening at the fairgrounds.
Huey said the fair board decided to feature more local entertainment this year. One such act is the Rank Outsiders performing on Tuesday evening on the main stage. Other musical acts will include Chas Watkins, Chas and 16th Avenue, Two Lane Highway and the Justin Heskett Band all performing Saturday.
The karaoke contest will take place on the main stage on Thursday and Friday evening with the finals on Saturday evening. The karaoke winner will join all the bands on stage for a jam fest at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Huey said there will be a church service on Wednesday. Huey said the original group scheduled to lead the service is now unable to attend so they are getting another group finalized for Wednesday night.
The Todd Woods Rodeo will also take place Wednesday evening in Arena A. Another new event will take place Friday evening, said Huey. It will be the Lawn Tractor Pull in Arena A. This will be like a tractor pull with the competitors on riding lawn mowers.
On Wednesday evening anyone bring six boxes of macaroni and cheese to the fair will receive six free ride tickets. All of the macaroni and cheese collected will be donated to the Stoddard County Gospel Mission. Last year 300 boxes were collected and donated.
Huey said the kids will have a play/education area that has been relocated to the back of Exhibit Barn A for added safety. Kids will be able pretend they are milking a cow, digging potatoes, picking apples and blueberries and more.
The demolition derby will be Saturday evening in Arena A and is always a signature event. This year a surprise event will take place in Arena A prior to the start of the derby. Huey offered no more on the surprise and the only way to see the surprise is to attend. The 4H/FFA Livestock Auction, Youth Games and public speech contest are also scheduled for Saturday. The annual fireworks are scheduled for Saturday evening as well.
Tickets for rides can be purchased at Gary’s Quick Stop prior to the fair. The cost will be $20 for 25 tickets. On the fairgrounds the will be $20 for 22 tickets. All rides will cost anywhere from one to four tickets. Thursday evening will be bracelet night. A bracelet can be purchased for $25 and allows the wearer unlimited rides from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The bracelet can again be purchased Saturday afternoon and used from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free on Saturday from noon until 4 p.m.
Huey, along with the rest of the fair board are hoping for better weather as most of Saturday at the 2018 fair was rained out. The average attendance for the week at the fair is 11,000 to 12,000 paid. Huey said there really isn’t a way to figure total attendance because security, EMS, Tinsley’s employees, anyone working a booth and the performers do not pay admission.
Huey said on of the highest attendance figures in the history of the fair came at the expense of his signature beard. Huey said he was riding down Stoddard Street about 10 years ago after the parade and was asked by a member of the media what the attendance at the fair would have to be to shave his beard. Huey, whose beard was extra long at the time, answered 14,000 paid admission. The word soon spread and total paid attendance that year was 14,013. Huey said when he learned the total that Saturday evening he left the fair to retrieve his clippers and razor from his home. Upon his return a local barber shaved his beard on the main stage. More memories will likely be made this year as well.