The San Juan County Fair kicked off Friday with the fair parade on Main Street in Farmington. Parade entries displayed the theme of “250 Years of Red, White and Blue!”
It opened for entries Saturday, and events begin Monday and run through Aug. 15 at McGee Park. The fair is open each day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. There are more than 30 events and four concerts throughout the week.
“I love everything about the fair. It’s like a big family. All my best friends are out there,” Sadie Shelton said.
Sadie and her husband Danny Shelton were the parade marshals. They wore patriotic shirts and rode in the back of a silver pickup.
“We’ve been involved in the fair ever since we got married – 35 years,” Danny said, adding Sadie was the one who piqued his interest in the fair.
“There’s all kinds of neat stuff coming to the fair this year,” said Billy Huish, vice president of the fair board. “This year we’re doing two music entertainers on Friday and on Saturday nights.”
Skip Ewing performs at 7:30 p.m. Friday followed at 9:15 p.m. by Casey Chesnutt.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Mark’s (Chesnutt) son,” Huish said, adding “there’s lots of new booths and new food this year too.”
The Saturday night concerts will feature Tate Stevens at 7:30 p.m. followed by Andy Griggs at 9:15 p.m. All of the concerts are in the Open Air Pavillion next to the Food Midway.
“The concerts are a good time. It’s all a good time,” said Sadie, who served on the fair board for nine years.
She and Danny also spent years supporting 4-H, Future Farmers of America and high school rodeo by helping encourage and mentor generations of San Juan County youth.
The majority of fair events are centered around 4-H, FFA and rodeo. There are livestock shows and sales that help students raise earn money for college, while keeping the agricultural tradition alive in San Juan County.
Educational exhibits have helped introduce the next generation to a career in livestock and agriculture. One of these would be the Look-n-Learn Barn, which is open from 4 to 8 p.m. daily.
The San Juan County Fair has historically run like a well-oiled machine and that has been because of the work of the fair board, which has already scheduled next year’s entertainment, Huish said.
Robert Echols, board president, joined with Huish in 1987.
“Bob and I went on at the same time,” Huish said.
Being on the board has been “not quite a full-year job, but a six- to eight-month commitment to make it successful,” Echols said, adding that planning started in January.
“We’re really fortunate this county has always supported the fair,” Echols said. “Businesses support the fair and families support the fair.”
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