August 20 – 25. It’s just around the corner. For some of us, fair time is the one of the biggest highlights of the year! We can’t wait for it to get here and then like lightning ablaze in the sky – it seems all of a sudden it’s over! But we won’t think about that for now!
The Portage County Randolph Fair is in its 155th year! Do you know anything about its beginnings? Who said history isn’t interesting or fun? Check out these facts about the Portage County Fair and see if you don’t learn something – and maybe get a laugh or two!
The first Randolph Fair was held on October 15, 1858, beside the road on Route 44.
The fair started as a three-day event, then in the early 1900s became a two-day event. One fair in 1870 lasted only a few hours. It rained so hard that everyone packed up their displays and went home.
The admission price in 1858 was 10 cents per person and 10 cents per horse and buggy. In 1958, the price of admission had gone to 50 cents per person and 25 cents per car.
A highlight in the celebration of the 100th anniversary was an old fashioned parade. Awards were given in the following classifications: Older lady’s dress, younger lady’s dress, child’s dress, best dressed couple, wedding dress, wedding suit, boy’s clothes, baby’s outfit (using old carriage if desired), Civil War Uniform, Spanish-American War Uniform, First World War Uniform and old fashioned hat or bonnet. These classifications were open to any resident of Portage County.
By the time our fair reached its 100th year, pony pulling and horse pulling were well established at the fair, and continue today.
On September 11, 1959, the first tractor pull was held, including a “powder-puff” pull. These pulls continue today with the exception of the powder-puff pull. Today, women compete against men.
A steer sale was started in 1962. This sale has grown and now includes almost all animals that come to the fair including turkeys, rabbits, and chickens. The livestock sale is a very big part of our fair which takes the entire day of Saturday.
Until 1964 -1965, it was necessary for us to get a loan for start-up money for each fair as our society had no funds. One of our directors would take a loan out against his farm and let the fair use it to hold the next fair.
By 1972, demo derbies were being held at our fair, and today our fair still has two nights of the demo derbies – standing room only.
In 1973, we achieved a major accomplishment by starting a Junior Fair Board. This group has grown by leaps and bounds over the years and become an important part of our fair. They have their own office on the grounds, which they maintain themselves.
It started out as a one-day fair, then grew to a two-day fair, and finally a three-day fair moving from October to September. In 1963, we settled on August as the month for our fair and went to four days; five days in 1969 and 6 days in 1975. We have remained a six-day fair in August since then.
In 1993, we had a fair logo designed which we now use on stationary, premium books, programs and advertising materials, anything related to our fair. The 21 stars represent the 21 directors on our fair board.
Our fairgrounds consists of 85 acres with approximately 50 acres being used for parking. Our fair is then held on the remaining 35 acres.
For a more in depth history, click HERE.