Truck & Tractor Pull today’s fair highlight

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Local youngsters had their special day at the Van Wert County Fair on Thursday. Children 8 and under got in free on Kids Day, while all others were admitted for $3.

Once inside the fair, kids had plenty of activities to choose from, including rides, games, eating some good fair food or hanging out with friends.

There were also K-9 demonstrations on the midway.

Adults also had plenty of things to do at the fair, with harness racing in front of the grandstand, Gabriella Emerick and Crossroads performing free in the Entertainment Tent and the Triumphant Quartet singing Gospel favorites in the Gospel Pavilion.

Today is Veterans Day and Senior Citizens Day at the fair, with both military veterans and those aged 60 and over admitted free to the fair. Veterans and senior citizens can eat free doughnuts in the Entertainment Tent from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. today, while veterans can also eat free bean soup and cornbread in the Entertainment Tent from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., while a special program will be held there from noon-1:30 p.m.

A Veterans Day Parade will begin on Balyeat Avenue at 11:30 a.m. today and will then travel onto the fairgrounds.

Horseshoe enthusiasts can show off their form during the singles horseshoe tournament that runs from 1-6 p.m. today at the horseshow courts.

Several Senior and Junior Fair livestock shows will be held today. Those include the American Dairy Goat Show, Open Class Mules/Miniature Horse Show, Senior Fair Pleasure Horse Show, Senior Fair Poultry/Bird Show, Senior Fair Stock Horse Show and the Ryan Trentman Memorial Open Swine Show on the Senior Fair side, and the Dairy, Poultry, Swine Showmanship and Farrow to Finish and Rabbit shows on the Junior Fair side.

This evening, the Michindoh Truck & Tractor Pull will be held in front of the grandstand, starting at 7 p.m., while free entertainment will include Tom Rupert, from 2-3 and 8-9 p.m.; Dee Fisher from 4-6 p.m., and Connor Rose, from 7-8 and 9-10 p.m., all in the Entertainment Tent, and the Woodsman Quartet in the Gospel Pavilion.

Of course, there will be plenty of other activities for both young and old today at the fair, with fair and hot weather forecast for the day.