The fair will go on!
Published 3:17 pm Thursday, May 13, 2021
Sparky, left, and Springfield knock their noggins while waiting to enter the show ring Wednesday night.
Danielle Arvin and her daughter Bayleigh Smith enjoy a thrill on the small roller coaster at the Boyle County Fair Tuesday evening.
A group of boys line up for a ride at the fair with a colorful carnival food booth in the background.
Elijah Cline, 7, of Danville laughs at a magic trick that Mark Comley just performed with his puppet dog during a show at the Boyle County Fair Tuesday night. Comley will be performing two magic shows every night during the fair and is included with the price of admission.
COLORFUL CONDENSATION — Fairgoers wait in line to ride the ferris wheel at the Boyle County Fair . -File photo
Kacee Bently rides her garden tractor named Phsycho during the pull event Tuesday night.
Do you long for some “normalcy” this summer — like slurping slushies, spinning in a Tilt-a-Whirl, hearing the squeals and laughter of children, and even smelling livestock? Well, you’re in for a treat! The Boyle County Fair is scheduled for June 14-19.
The fair will be held at the same location as it has in years past, at the fairgrounds on the North Danville Bypass.
“We will be having all the normal events this year, including pageants, livestock shows, wrestling, eating contests, demo derbies and truck and tractor pulls,” said Chair of the BCF Board Ryan Owens.
The fair, along with all other events and festivals, was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year the fair board is ready to restart the summer tradition.
“We will be operating on suggested guidelines. Obviously the Derby was held and had over 51,000 people at its outside venue, and we will in no way have that many people on a nightly basis,” Owens said.
“We are very excited to have back Paradise Amusements that are providing us rides and games,” he added. “And, it’s my understanding they have a few new spectacular rides to add to the mix this year.”
Owens said, “We will have the good ol’ fair foods as we have had in the past, like funnel cakes and deep fried Oreos.”
He said the only thing that will be missing at the fair this year will be the Floral Hall exhibits. “The Extension Service has decided not to participate this year,” he said.
“We are having wrestling two nights this year, two new tractor and truck pulling contests on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and two big nights of demolition derbies on Friday and Saturday night.”
Price of admission is the same as in 2019, Owens said. “Tuesday and Wednesday night will be $10 and Thursday, Friday and Saturday night will be $12 to help pay for our bigger events.”
Owens said people who want to compete in any of the events and pageants should go to the fair’s website at www.boylefair.com and register. “I suggest getting online and reading which event you are looking for and you can also sign up on site, but I highly recommend going to our website.”
Owens said the fair board decided to go forward with having the fair just last month. “We have had just a couple of meetings for planning,” he added.
He said the intense, last minute planning and scheduling has difficult. “But we have such great people on the board and our carnival and other promoters we host have been great to work with and are looking forward to being here.”
“We are very blessed to have the small group of people we do, and could not put this great event on without them. It’s tough sometimes because we are so small, but we seem to always pull it off for the community.”
All of the hard work and hours spent making the county fair happen “Is worth it to see the kids smile and be happy.”
Owens said the fair board is excited to be able to have the fair this year. “…We’re hoping the community will support us, as I believe they will. We believe the community is just excited about getting out and having fun as we are.”
The BCF opens the week right after the Great American Brass Band Festival that’s scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 11 and 12. Owens said, “I’ve been talking to the folks with GABBF and we are both hoping for great weather, great food, great events and some great fun.”
