The Summit County Fair has been an annual tradition for over a century. This year it runs from Aug. 3 to 10.
One of the most anticipated events is the demolition derby Saturday, Aug. 3. There are 30 to 60 entries in the derby each year and Fair Administrator Kate McChesney said participants are dedicated.
“Everybody thinks they want to be a derby driver until they watch and then they say, ‘Oh, OK, this might be better just sitting on the sidelines, but these people put their heart and soul into it, and they're risking their lives, ultimately, to get in the car,” she said.
This year, kids will also get to compete in a demolition derby.
“We also have, during one of our little halftime shows, we have a Power Wheels derby,” she said. “So probably like 30 or 40 kids, and they're souped up Power Wheels come in, and then they do a total crash. It's an amazing event.”
Derby tickets are $24 and fence line seating is $22. Those who don’t get tickets can still watch on a big screen that will be installed outside the arena.
The Little Buckaroo Rodeo Aug. 7 and 8 is also a highlight. The event is known for young kids trying to ride sheep and calves, but it also features a barrel race where riders race around three barrels and a sheep milking contest.
McChesney said the older kids who compete in the barrel race and the keyhole race, where riders must run a pattern as quickly as possible, are often the best of the best and go on to compete in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) events.
Fair Manager Tyler Orgill said the PRCA Rodeo at the Summit County Fair is Aug. 9 and 10.
“You've got saddle bronc riding, you've got bareback bronc riding, you've got the bucking bowls, and then on the timed event side of things, you've got calf tying, you've got team roping, steer wrestling,” he said. “Those are the, I think, the real cowboys, the ones that are willing to jump off a running animal.”
Orgill said the competitions also have cash prizes. The purse for a barrel racing winner is typically around $5,000. PRCA contributes some money and Summit County allocates $55,000 to the prizes.
The fair also has a carnival, animal showings, a livestock auction and more. For more details, click here.
