Barry County Fair returning June 29
June 19, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
On Saturday, June 29, the annual Barry County Fair is returning. The event will be hosted at the Exeter Corn Maze, just off of Highway MM southwest of Exeter. Admission into the fair is free, with admission into cattle, goat, sheep, individual rabbits and individual chicken livestock events costing attendees $5 per head. Pens of meat rabbits and pens of broiler chickens cost $5 per pen for admission.
There will be a concession stand at the fair offering food for purchase throughout the day.
The fair will include activities provided by the corn maze, such as: barn swings, a zipline, a cow train ride and a paintball shack. There will be $7 activity bracelet available for purchase for access to all of the activities.
There will also be a ‘gem-mining’ station at the event for $5 per bag and go-kart races available for $3.
Every year, the county fair serves as an opportunity for local youth livestock owners, Future Farmers of America (FFA) members and 4H members to pit the size, behavior and overall quality of their animals against competitors from all over the county. Livestock events are limited to youth competitors, with an age limit 18 for active 4H members and 21 for active FFA members.
Activities will begin at 7 a.m. with a blue ribbon breakfast consisting of biscuits and gravy and a drink for $5. There will also be donuts available for an additional charge.
Check-ins for livestock events will begin at 7 a.m. and will proceed as follows:
7 a.m. - check-in times for beef and dairy cattle, beef cattle and steer weigh-in.
8 a.m. - Dairy cattle show, swine check-in and weigh-in begins
9 a.m. - Beef cattle show, goat check-in/weigh-in and sheep check-in/ weigh-in
10 a.m. - Swine show begins
11 a.m. - Dairy goat show, meat goat show and sheep show
1 p.m. - Poultry check-in, broiler chicken weigh-in.
1:30 p.m. - Broiler chicken show begins
2 p.m. - Poultry show, rabbit check-in/weigh-in
2:30 p.m. - Rabbit show will immediately follow the poultry show
The beginning of the end of this year’s fair will be marked by a premium sale dinner slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. At this time, the concession stand will begin serving meals of pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad, a dessert and a drink. The premium sale dinner is available for a donation that can be made to a donation jar that will be set out during the dinner.
At 6:30 p.m., the premium sale will begin. Competitors from the livestock events present their animals to attendees for purchase. A main buyer will be able to purchase the animal and add-on buyers will also be able to contribute to help competitors in 4H and FFA fund their future projects.
“It’s a lot of hard work to set up, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Barry County Fair treasurer and secretary Sherri Sanders. “We really enjoy seeing what the kids bring to show each year and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone out there.”
The Barry County Fair will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, at the Exeter Corn Maze, located southwest of Exeter off of Highway MM. General admission to the fair is free. For more information on the Barry County Fair, contact Sherri Sanders at (479) 903-2683. For more information on the Exeter Corn Maze and corn maze activities, visit their website at: https://www.exetercornmaze.com.
Vinnie Roberts
On Saturday, June 29, the annual Barry County Fair is returning. The event will be hosted at the Exeter Corn Maze, just off of Highway MM southwest of Exeter. Admission into the fair is free, with admission into cattle, goat, sheep, individual rabbits and individual chicken livestock events costing attendees $5 per head. Pens of meat rabbits and pens of broiler chickens cost $5 per pen for admission.
There will be a concession stand at the fair offering food for purchase throughout the day.
The fair will include activities provided by the corn maze, such as: barn swings, a zipline, a cow train ride and a paintball shack. There will be $7 activity bracelet available for purchase for access to all of the activities.
There will also be a ‘gem-mining’ station at the event for $5 per bag and go-kart races available for $3.
Every year, the county fair serves as an opportunity for local youth livestock owners, Future Farmers of America (FFA) members and 4H members to pit the size, behavior and overall quality of their animals against competitors from all over the county. Livestock events are limited to youth competitors, with an age limit 18 for active 4H members and 21 for active FFA members.
Activities will begin at 7 a.m. with a blue ribbon breakfast consisting of biscuits and gravy and a drink for $5. There will also be donuts available for an additional charge.
Check-ins for livestock events will begin at 7 a.m. and will proceed as follows:
7 a.m. - check-in times for beef and dairy cattle, beef cattle and steer weigh-in.
8 a.m. - Dairy cattle show, swine check-in and weigh-in begins
9 a.m. - Beef cattle show, goat check-in/weigh-in and sheep check-in/ weigh-in
10 a.m. - Swine show begins
11 a.m. - Dairy goat show, meat goat show and sheep show
1 p.m. - Poultry check-in, broiler chicken weigh-in.
1:30 p.m. - Broiler chicken show begins
2 p.m. - Poultry show, rabbit check-in/weigh-in
2:30 p.m. - Rabbit show will immediately follow the poultry show
The beginning of the end of this year’s fair will be marked by a premium sale dinner slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. At this time, the concession stand will begin serving meals of pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad, a dessert and a drink. The premium sale dinner is available for a donation that can be made to a donation jar that will be set out during the dinner.
At 6:30 p.m., the premium sale will begin. Competitors from the livestock events present their animals to attendees for purchase. A main buyer will be able to purchase the animal and add-on buyers will also be able to contribute to help competitors in 4H and FFA fund their future projects.
“It’s a lot of hard work to set up, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Barry County Fair treasurer and secretary Sherri Sanders. “We really enjoy seeing what the kids bring to show each year and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone out there.”
The Barry County Fair will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, at the Exeter Corn Maze, located southwest of Exeter off of Highway MM. General admission to the fair is free. For more information on the Barry County Fair, contact Sherri Sanders at (479) 903-2683. For more information on the Exeter Corn Maze and corn maze activities, visit their website at: https://www.exetercornmaze.com.