The Ferris wheel. Funnel cakes. Blue ribbons. Rodeo.
What else could we be talking about other than a county fair?
There are few things more American than rounding up the family, gathering with friends and meeting your neighbors at the fairgrounds every summer — whether it’s early in the day for 4-H judging and a quilt show, in the hot afternoon for carnival rides, deep-fried Twinkies and lemonade, or in the cooling hours of the evening for a concert or demolition derby.
The county fair is about togetherness, about home, about fun.
As the calendar turns to August next week, the Magic Valley’s fair season will kick into full gear — beginning with Monday’s opening of the Minidoka County Fair in Rupert and followed later in the week by the first days of fair fun in Camas and Jerome counties.
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The first full week of August will begin with the Blaine County Fair in Carey, then the Cassia and Gooding county fairs a few days later, before the Twin Falls County Fair in Filer closes out the season from Aug. 30 through Labor Day.
The themes only reinforce the Americana.
It’s “Fast Cars & Freedom” in Camas County, “Blue Jeans & Country Dreams” in Blaine County, and “Country Fans & Cattle Brands” in Cassia County.
In Lincoln County, meanwhile, it’s all about “Old Fashioned Fun.” The first of the Magic Valley’s fairs opened this week and will wrap up this weekend in Shoshone, highlighted by truck and tractor pulls on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.
The must-see rodeo, as always, will be in Gooding, where the 98th annual Gooding Pro Rodeo is coming off an historic 2022 that included record-setting live attention and television viewership. It was also recognized as Large Rodeo of the Year in the Wilderness Circuit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys’ Association.
This year’s rodeo opens on Wednesday, Aug, 16, with the special “Beauty and the Beast” performance — bulls, broncs and breakaway roping — followed by three nights of action featuring many of the top professional cowboys and cowgirls in the world. Nightly performances are set for 8.
The theme of this year’s Gooding County Fair is “It’s a Party.” If that’s the case, the Andy James Arena will be the dance floor.
“That’s a cool damn rodeo for being such a small community and being able to put on such a large event,” Twin Falls cowboy Mitch Pollock said in a news release promoting the Magic Valley’s biggest rodeo of the year. “The atmosphere and the community that supports that rodeo is why I love it so much. They’re farmers and ranchers, and they follow rodeo. They watch it on The Cowboy Channel.
“They treat me like I’m a hometown kid. When (announcer) Steve Kenyon calls my name in Gooding, I can hear all my family and friends, and they’re excited to watch me. It’s something special.”
Here’s where to have fun at a county fair near you:
Minidoka County:
- The fair kicks off Monday with a free 7 p.m. concert by Wildwood and runs through Saturday in Rupert.
Camas County:
- The fair opens on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Fairfield, with festivities including a carnival, 4-H exhibitions and a car show scheduled into Sunday afternoon.
Blaine County:
- The fair runs Aug. 7-12 — featuring 4-H competitions, Western and English horse shows, a barn dance, an ATV rodeo, exhibits and more.
Jerome County:
- The fair starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 7, and closes at 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12. Carnival rides will light up for the first time at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, plus there are three nights of pro rodeo in the DePew Arena (Aug. 7-9).
Cassia County:
- The fair opens Saturday, Aug. 12, with an 8 p.m. concert headlined by Craig Morgan and featuring EllieMae, and continues through the week in Burley with a heifer futurity, a born and raised steer show, rodeo and more.
Gooding County:
- The fair runs Aug. 14-19, highlighted by a 5:30 p.m. parade on Main Street on Wednesday, Aug. 16, followed by the opening of the carnival and the first of four straight nights of pro rodeo action.
Twin Falls County:
- The fair will feature a daily carnival, magic shows, cultural exhibits and 4-H competitions from Wednesday, Aug. 30, through Monday, Sept. 4, plus three nights of pro rodeo action at the Magic Valley Stampede.
Who doesn’t like a parade? Or a concert?
Who doesn’t want to chomp on an oversized smoked turkey leg?
Who doesn’t like bull riding? Or barrel racing?
No matter where you live in the Magic Valley, there’s a county fair waiting for you. Get out there, celebrate your community and have some fun!