St. Charles County Fair Opens 5-Day Run

The St. Charles County Fair opens today, Tues., July 24 at Wentzville's , and runs for the next five days.

With temperatures expected to hit 105 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday and then to hover just below that through the weekend, fair organizers have taken some extra precautions for this year's event.

Ed Siesenop, fair board president, told Patch that misters have been set up, and a cooling tent and an air-conditioned trailer are available for overheated patrons to take a break from the brutal temperatures. Extra paramedics will be on site, and fair staff have been advised about identifying symptoms of heat exhaustion.

This is the year's biggest event for 4-Hers. Livestock —including sheep, rabbits, goats, poultry, cows and cattle—are displayed and judged, as are home economics projects. But Siesenop said that they won't be taking chances with the animals.

"If (a competitor) wants to take an animal home, they can do that," he said. Poultry and rabbits are especially sensitive to the heat, and those animals will be sent home as soon as possible. "We are not going to let any animal be in danger," Siesenop said.

Fun at the Fair

The fair features free carnival rides during specified periods and other activities such as a rappelling wall, an inflatable zipline, a butterfly house and a petting zoo.

Musical acts include Justus, Black Dog and the Rainmakers, Concoction, Contagious, Rumspringa String Band and Project 324. Fairgoers will also be entertained by Steve Corbitt the Magician, Mike Coleman the Ventriloquist, Marcos the Juggler and the Jeff Lefton magic show.

"Dock Dogs" are back this year, complete with their own competition pool. In the big arenas, the fair will host bull riding, tractor pulls and a demolition derby.

Fairgoers have the chance to compete in a number of contests: tug of war, pig scramble, frog and turtle races, nickel scramble, sack races and a kids' fishing derby.

And of course, there's food: chicken gizzards, livers and wings; roasted corn; hot dogs and corn dogs; pork burgers, beef burgers, cheeseburgers, ribeye sandwiches, pork steaks, bratwurst and fish sandwiches; snow cones, ice cream, funnel cakes and caramel apples.

This year, the fair is hosting "Remembering Our Fallen," a photo memorial of Missouri residents lost in the War on Terror that began on Sept. 11, 2001. This traveling memorial, which includes photos and personal mementos, was unveiled at the state capitol last July.

Admission to the St. Charles County Fair is as follows:

• Tuesday through Thursday, admission is $10/adult, $5/children 6-12 and children 5 and under, free.
• On Senior Citizen Day, Wednesday, July 15, Seniors (60+) get in for $5.
• On Friday, July 27, the adult price is $15 and on Saturday, July 28 the adult price is $20. Children's prices remain the same for the run of the event.

Check Patch every day for a full schedule of Fair events!