By the Allen County Fair
IOLA, Kan. — We want to share how your contributions to the 131st Allen County Fair positively impacted our community. Thank you so much for your help, sponsorship, and donations. We couldn’t have achieved this without you! We had a lot going on and didn’t get as many pictures as we wanted. We may miss some things in this recap, but we’ll do our best to cover everything.
Several weeks before the fair, the Fair Board began preparing and fixing things. This year’s biggest challenges were welding the pens and rodeo arena, which needed significant work since there hadn’t been a full rodeo in 5 years. We also discovered that some bleachers needed overhauling before allowing spectators. Despite these unexpected hurdles, we overcame them. 4-H also made many upgrades in and around the barns, which were very beneficial.
The week before the fair, the Fair Board, 4-H members, and Southwind District gathered to clean the grounds and pens. At the start of fair week, 4-H members brought in their non-animal exhibits, and the Fair Board set up necessary structures. By midweek, the food trucks, sponsorship booths, and the baby barnyard began to fill up. All the livestock arrived on Thursday.
This Thursday, more community members attended than usual. The food vendors were always busy, kids played basketball and visited the baby barnyard, while parents chatted. This year, there was an option for breakfast on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Farm Bureau hosted a breakfast with free-will donations, and Miss Chelsea’s Dance Academy organized breakfast on the other mornings to raise funds for the dancers.
Friday and Saturday were fantastic! We had a huge turnout, and the community enjoyed playing games both days.
We had a fun “Christmas in July” event with a 4-foot spinning wheel. If you landed on “nice,” you got a prize! We had lots of great prizes, some donated and some bought.
We also had a “Play or Pay” game. You had to get a ball in the milk can, toss a ring onto the pegboard, or pay $10 to enter the raffle.
First place was a $500 gift card to any store in Allen County, won by Cody Mullins, who chose G&W. Second place was a $400 meat bundle from Our Market, won by Becky Meiwes. Third place was a fireworks bundle from Aiello Firework Stand, won by Shellie Barnett.
We also brought back the beloved Banner Challenge, with a $100 prize going to Elijah Irby. We offered free face painting and balloon animals, an axe-throwing trailer, and interactions with a man on stilts and a juggler. Saying everyone had fun is an understatement.
Saturday morning, we had a great turnout for our first annual Peddlers Craft Fair. Farm Bureau’s kiddy pedal pull was well attended. Seven pies were entered into the Blueberry Pie Contest. First place went to Jessica Kerr, with Chris Holloway coming in second. We had many open class entries and lots of smiling faces.
Friday and Saturday, we hosted several bands from all over the states, along with local talent. Fast Times and The Vincent’s played on stage both nights, attracting local and out-of-town fans to the fairgrounds. If you missed it, I strongly urge you to check them out–they were a lot of fun!
On Friday and Saturday night, we brought back the highly anticipated event of the year: the rodeo. To say it was well attended is an understatement! The community asked for it, and they showed up and supported it!
We had several attractions, like the Baby Barn Yard, Kiwanis Train, Sheriff’s Tent, and the State Troopers with the rollover exhibit, along with all the 4-H exhibits. I know I’m forgetting a few, but the community seemed happy, and the fair hasn’t been this well attended in a long time. None of this would have been possible without our sponsors, supporters, and donors. We plan to keep working hard and make each year even better! If you have any suggestions or requests for the fair, please let us know, and we will do our best to make it happen!
We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors and donors listed below, as well as the City of lola and Allen County for their incredible support. A special shout-out to the lola Parks and Rec Department, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the lola Police Department, lola Fire & EMS, Barney Barnett, and the many amazing community members who volunteered and went above and beyond. Your efforts played crucial roles in making this year’s fair a fantastic success!
We’re so grateful for all your support and can’t wait to keep the momentum going with you next year!
– Allen County Fair Association
Cowpoke Sponsors – AG Choice Moran – Boren’s Roofing – Heartland Meadows – Humboldt Fitness – lola Insurance Associates – Johnson Schowengerdt, P.A.- Kings Sandwich Shop – Knight Law- Microtrons – Nelson Quarries Inc – O’Shaughnessy Liquor – Pete’s – Red Barn Vet – The Little Nut Hut
Trail Boss Sponsor – Bank of Commerce – H6 Properties & Mechanical – Infinity Real Estate and Insurance Group – Jo’s Men’s Grooming – Newwave Broadband – Peerless Products – Prairie Land Partners – Thrive Allen County – USD 257
Cattleman Sponsor – A&W Restaurant – Ad Astra Radio – Allen Community College – Allen County Realty – Allen County Sheriff’s Office – Anderson Plumbing – CDL Electric Group of Companies – CNB Bank & Trust – Crown Realty – David Lee – Farm Bureau Financial Services- Jason Dreher-Agent – Farm Bureau Financial Services- Sharla Miller-Agent – Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative – J&J Contractors Inc. – Jefferson Lines – Manbeck Law – PSI – The Monarch Cement Company – Edward Jones – Tyson Jelinek Financial Advisor – Whitworth Construction – Kwikom – Bowlus Fine Arts Center – Kroenke Photography – Sonic Drive In – Landmark National Bank – Allen County Regional Hospital – Miss Chelsea’s Dance Academy
Rodeo Sponsors – Twin Motors Ford – B&W Trailer Hitches – State Street Liquor – JD’s Tire and Auto – lola Auto Parts – lola Pharmacy
Donated Items – Irrigation & Turf – G&W Foods – The New Klein Lumber – El Charros – Piqua Farmer
Coop – The Family Diner – Silverado’s – Rookies – TLC – Lou’s – The Protein Place – Heartland Tractor- Dairy Queen – Fast Lube – Aiello Fireworks – Many of the above sponsors also donated several Items.
