North Idaho Fair marks 50th year
The North Idaho Fair kicks off next week, running Wednesday through Sunday at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in what fair officials call a “strong agriculturally-based, family-oriented atmosphere.”
Clowns, jugglers, comedians, bands, hypnosis acts, hoedowns and more entertain on stage all five days. Fairground fun includes a kids’ rodeo, the K-9 Kings Flying Dog Show, parades, square dancing and a demonstration on bird house building.
Small animals, swine, poultry, rabbits, beef and dairy cattle, goats, sheep and dogs make up the animal showings, with demonstrations and judging. Baked and canned goods, beer, wine, fruits, vegetables, crops, flowers, nuts, honey, herbs and crafts round out the competition exhibits.
Inland Empire Shows and Royal West Amusements’ carnival offers more than 30 rides, games and attractions on the fairgrounds, promising “good, clean, family fun.” Food vendors offer everything from deep-fried Twinkies and Snickers to huckleberry pizza, beer Balls and the historical fair favorite, cotton candy, accompanied by such liquid refreshments as Jet Tea, Thelma’s Lemonade and Frappuccinos.
Special events and attractions include the Red Hot Mamas “Mom Calling Contest” (kids yell for their mom, receiving ribbons and chances for carnival passes), “Kritter Korner” (petting zoo with baby goats, alpacas, tortoise, miniature horses and pot belly pigs), demolition derby, motocross, draft horse pull and a rodeo with nationally ranked cowboys.
You can “Bee a farmer,” “Bee a Grocer,” find your way in the “Farmcycle Maze,” or hear stories from the Coeur d’Alene Public Library in the free Family Fun Park. You can get your cholesterol checked (suggested before dining on a deep-fried Twinkie), test your blood pressure and screen for prostate cancer in the Healthy Living Building.
Fair Coordinator Margi Domme is hoping last year’s record attendance of 76,530 is broken this year with the theme “Hightail it to the Fair.” This fair’s logo shows a biplane, piloted by fair-going livestock flying over the fairground’s Building 1, originally an airplane hangar for Weeks Field (the first American municipally-owned airport, created in the 1920s). The airport moved from the site to Hayden in 1953 and the first fair was held here in 1954, making this the 50th anniversary.
Fair gates open daily at 9 a.m., exhibits are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and the carnival opens at noon. Admission is $6 for 13 and older, $2.50 for children 6 to 12, and free for 5 and younger. Senior citizens (60 and over) are admitted for $4.50 on Wednesday and Saturday. Twenty dollars buys a day of unlimited carnival rides.
Special discount promotions are available each day, such as The Spokesman-Review “Reader Appreciation Day” on Wednesday, offering $1.50 off admission with the donation of a children’s book. The Idaho Lottery celebrates its 15th anniversary by offering $15 scratch tickets at the fair featuring 15 chances to win $150,000.