By Karla Pomeroy
Editor
County fair dates remain unchanged; slated for last week of July
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WORLAND — The Washakie County Fair Board confirmed a decision to leave the 2021 dates for the county fair as originally scheduled, July 25-31.
In November, and again at the December meeting Washakie County 4-H Educator Amber Armajo asked the board if they would consider pushing the fair later one week since the Wyoming State Fair moved their dates.
Traditionally the state fair has been a week after the Washakie County Fair ended. Washakie County 4-H Educator Amber Armajo reported to the fair board at their regular monthly meeting Monday that the state fair is set for Aug. 17-21, 2021, more than two weeks after the county fair would end.
At the November meeting the board discussed the facts that some entertainment acts have already been booked and that Live A Little Productions is expecting to bring the Monster Trucks back on the last day of fair, July 31.
They told Armajo they will contact the music organizer Dan Kosel, as well as Live A Little Productions to see if it is possible to change dates.
Chairman Jeff Lapp said that during the December meeting the board opted to keep the dates July 25-31 with the horse show on July 24. He said they opted to keep the dates because it was too late to change due to some scheduling already set.
Armajo said in an interview this week that some parents were also concerned about a date change because slaughter dates for animals have already been scheduled. Armajo said that with few processing places, plus more people using them due to the pandemic, scheduling times are hard to come by so many youth schedule slaughter times for their animals sold at the livestock sale a year in advance.
As for any impact on 4-H projects, Armajo said it all depends on the animal but she noted most youth work to have their animals in prime shape for the county fair. If the youth are fortunate enough to advance to the state fair there is another week that they have to feed and care for the animal. For animals that need more finishing that can be a good thing before state fair, but can be challenging for those that are finished for county fair.
The new schedule will be challenging either way, Armajo said, noting, “We’ve never been this far away from state fair and never been bumped up against Park County.”
Other neighboring counties adjusted their schedules once the state fair moved. Big Horn County fair dates are Aug. 1-8 and Hot Springs County is Aug. 2-7 with the horse show on July 31. The Park County Fair is scheduled for the same week as the Washakie County Fair, July 25-31.
In other fair news, the board moved to purchase 42 goat pens for this year’s fair. They are getting prices for purchasing new loading chutes as well as cost from two people to build the chutes.
Regarding entertainment, they are looking at a teen dance following the Monster Truck event.
The next meeting is Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at the fairgrounds.
