Wow! Hats off to the Rock County Fair Board for a very successful 2016 fair. The weather was perfect and the crowds certainly reflected that.
The Star Herald staff is busy putting together a special section featuring all of the 4-H winners. Look for that in next week’s paper.
Next on the community celebration calendar is the Rock River Beerfest Aug. 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Blue Mound Ice Arena. This is a great time to sample craft beers and wines from the region and beyond.
New this year at Beerfest is the stein-holding contest.
There will be a men’s and a women’s division. It’s free to enter, but registration will be limited to the first 20 contestants in each division. Registration will start at 2 p.m. and close at 2:45 or after the first 20, if that happens sooner. So, sign up early.
Competitors will be timed while holding a stein full of beer straight out in front of them at shoulder level. They can’t move their arm up or down or spill any beer, or they will be disqualified.
Each division will have preliminary rounds to narrow the field to four competitors for the championship round in each division.
Once the stein is filled with beer, it will weigh a little over five pounds. The stein-holder of the men’s and women’s divisions will each be competing for a $50 cash prize. In addition to the cash, their names and times will be engraved on the official Beerfest trophy.
We did an unofficial test run at the Star Herald office using water instead of beer to fill the steins, and our own Lori Sorenson held the stein for a meager two minutes. Yours truly held it long enough to win the battle of the sexes, but three minutes is a long time, just for the record.
So we’ll see you at the Rock River Beerfest.