Range of activities part of Lee County 4-H Fair and Jr. Show’s appeal

AMBOY – The Lee County 4-H Fair and Junior Show is going full speed at the Lee County Fairgrounds.

From hundreds of 4-H projects by area youth to a grandstand lineup of entertainment, the four-day fair draws community members from throughout the region.

Fairgoer favorites returning this year include truck and tractor pulls, the county fair speedway, a vendor and craft fair, a rodeo, a barrel train and a food auction.

[ Yee-haw hee-haw! Lee County 4-H Fair and Junior Show offers donkey races this year ]

There’s also a wide-ranging showcase of talent, from raising animals to woodworking to photography.

“There’s something for everybody here,” said Josie Willett, one of the fair organizers.

The fair began Thursday at the Lee County 4-H Center and Fairgrounds at 1196 Franklin Road. The event includes a variety of food vendors this year, such as a new cotton candy booth, as well as the traditional funnel cakes and corn dogs, barbecue, tacos, pizza, ice cream and the 4-H food stand staffed by different clubs in Lee County.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 13

Mary Meyers, a member of the Soaring Eagles 4-H group, shows off her pygmy goat Thursday at the Lee County 4-H Fair and Junior Show. Meyers took first in the junior category. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)

New this year is a free ax-throwing area along with donkey races.

Events include a magic show, pancake breakfast by Teen Turf, Kids’ Korner crafts, petting zoo and pony rides, midway carnival rides and a bubble show.

“It’s jam-packed, and it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Willett said. “We try our best to make sure we’ve got something going on for everybody.”

Individual tickets cost $5 daily, $15 for the season and $2 Sunday. Grandstand admission is $7 Saturday and free Sunday.

The Broken Horn Rodeo Buckle Series event, put on by the Illinois Professional Rodeo Association, begins at 7 p.m. Saturday and features bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, championship bull riding and cowgirl barrel racing.

“Celebrity” donkey races by Dairyland Donkeyball will start at 1 p.m. Sunday. Up to 50 people can take part in the first-come, first-served donkey races. Riders age 16 and older who weigh no more than 225 pounds and sign a waiver can participate in the qualifying heats, and the winners will race in the finals.

Go to leecounty4hcenter.com or find the Lee County 4-H Fair & Junior Show on Facebook for a full schedule or more information.