Submitted by Jan Gaudian
The O’Brien County Fair was selected to receive the Association of Iowa Fairs as the 2024 “Blue Ribbon” Fair, representing the Northwest District!
This honor was recently announced at the AIF NW District meeting held in Ida Grove.
This award is based on the service to the youth organizations in its community, show distinguished service to its community and surrounding area in both fair and non-fair areas, possess a strong community involvement with all aspects of the fair and the fairgrounds must show an aggressive capital improvement program utilizing the state aid it receives each year.
The O’Brien County Fair celebrated its 100th anniversary this year and had perfect weather to help with the great attendance at the various livestock shows. The fair board tried to promote some special events to celebrate this year, featuring 4 billboards seen in the area to promote the 100th year, t-shirts sold to many friends of the fair to commemorate the anniversary, hosting KCAU’s guest weather spot, the cinnamon roll contest, alumni 4H members trying their hand at showing livestock, inviting past queens and kings back to the fair, bringing back the skid loader rodeo and offering free ice cream to fair goers! The fireworks, that followed the JC figure 8 races on Wednesday night, topped off a great week.
The renovation of the show ring at the fairgrounds, with new steel siding and LED lights, was completed this spring, utilizing the annual money received from O’Brien County, our allocation of state aid and receiving money from the Siouxland Community Grant program.
The fair board is grateful to the many area businesses and individuals who help to support the fair every year! The fair board is proud of the 4H and FFA youth and their families who participated in this years fair.
The O’Brien Co. Fair board will receive this award at the Association of Iowa Fair annual conference in December, held in Des Moines.