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The 2018 Rock County Fair may be one for the record books based on last week’s ideal weather.
Temperatures in the mid-70s, low humidity and extra mosquito spray by the city of Luverne were some of the elements Fair Board President Isaac DeBoer named as reasons this year’s July 25-28 event was more successful than past years.
“Weather is key for any outdoor activity,” he said.
Free admission makes gauging how many people visited the South Freeman fairgrounds difficult, but DeBoer said grandstand attendance and food vendors give the fair board an idea of visitor numbers.
Rock County’s beef and pork producer associations serve evening meals for the public each year at the fair.
“It is usually so hot that you hope people would come out of the air-conditioning and come to the feed,” said Jay Bakken of the Rock-Nobles Cattlemen Association.
He said this year’s beef feed served the average, about 600 persons.
Kevin Barnhart is vice president of the Rock County Pork Producers.
“We had average attendance at Friday’s pork chop feed,” he added. “But the rib tickler booth was out of this world.”
About 350 people were served at the regular evening feed. Over three days of the fair, the Rib Tickler Shack sold 2,200 sandwiches, about 500 more than previous years.
“It was a very, very good fair,” Barnhart said. “We attribute it to the good weather.”
He also attributes good attendance to the fairboard’s selection of entertainment and other activities offered during the day as well as in the evenings.
At the evening grandstand events, attendance was in line with previous years, according to DeBoer.
Thursday night’s speedway races drew about 700 spectators with Friday night’s rodeo drawing about 900 people to the fairgrounds. Saturday night’s enduro race had 850 to 900 in the stands.
Besides visitors, the fair brings local youth to the fairgrounds.
More than 170 4-H’ers brought 800 general projects to the fair and exhibited in the 10 livestock shows conducted over four days. Originally the 4-H office was expecting about 1,020 general exhibits based on early registration numbers.
However, not all projects experienced lower numbers, according to 4-H program coordinator Kelsey Maeschen.
“This year people might notice that our rabbit numbers are booming,” she said.
“Our beef (and possibly general exhibit) numbers have gone down since last year and that might have something to do with the unfortunate weather that we had.”
A blizzard in mid-April followed by extreme rainfall had families scrambling to get crops in and cleaning out flooded basements more than once, she added.
Currently the 4-H program is registering trip qualifiers for the upcoming Minnesota State Fair Aug. 23-Sept. 3.
Fifty-two 4-H’ers earned trips to exhibit projects and livestock at the annual event. In addition, eight 4-H’ers will represent Rock County at the Sept. 14-17 state 4-H horse show.