ASHLAND — In 2021, the Ashland County Fair attracted almost 70,000 people. County Fair Office Manager Cathy Rice wants that number higher this year.
“So we’re hoping to go back up into the 90,000s this year, which would be terrific. We’re hearing it’s supposed to be good weather,” she said.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair would attract over 90,000 attendees. But in 2020, the fair was limited to only junior fair events.
In 2021, the fair returned to its full form, but attendance still lagged.
To attract fair-goers this year, the 2022 Ashland County Fair will have new attractions, multiple grandstand events, familiar livestock shows and auctions, and of course funnel cake and French fries galore.
What’s changed?
Rice listed off a few new attractions that festival-goers can expect at this year’s fair.
Marksmen can test their skills at the new archery and axe-throwing range on Wednesday near the Byers Barn, while card sharks can try their hand at a euchre tournament on Tuesday night, also in the Byers Barn.
History enthusiasts can browse an antique racing stall and other displays in the Buckeye Barn, which has been refitted as a historical center this year.
“They have a bunch of antiques in there so if people want to go in and check that out, it’s pretty neat,” Rice said.
The fair also has new red, white, and blue benches spread around the fairgrounds for people to use, she said.
“They’re really colorful, there are memorials, there are businesses, just a good variety. I think people might just walk around and look at those,” she said.
The fair’s pavilion will have a band every night of the festival and a comedian/magician on Sunday.
Grand Stand Events
The week’s first grandstand event is the Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association Tractor Pull on Sunday at 6:30 p.m, which Rice described as “a classic tradition” for the fair.
From there, a grandstand event will be happening every night:
On Monday, harness racers will tear up the track at noon at 6 p.m.
Country singer Josh Turner takes the stage on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Turner is most widely known for his second album, “Your Man”, which released in 2006 and featured two number-one hits on country radio.
Monster trucks and their bite-sized friends, the lawnmower, will battle it out on Wednesday at 7 p.m. during the Monster Truck and Lawnmower Derby.
On Thursday, motocross bikers will race around the track at 6 p.m.
Tractor pulling makes a return on Friday for the Stock Tractor Pull at 4:30 p.m.
And finally, the week concludes with the demolition derby on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Livestock Shows and Auctions
Livestock shows for goats, rabbits, cows, and more are spread throughout the week, with the first, the Jr. Fair Market Steer Showmanship Shop, starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
The Jr. Fair Rabbit Show has become a one-day event on Monday, as has the Jr. Fair Goats Show, which is slated for Wednesday.
The Dairy Benefit auction has also been moved to Thursday to line up with the other youth auctions at the fair, Rice said.
There will be no live poultry shows or auctions at the fair due to a local outbreak of avian flu. Instead, the fair board is working to put together knowledge shows where Jr. Fair participants can show off their hard work, Fair Board President Marty Wesner said.
The shows are held in different locations, so consult the full schedule below to find out where to go.
The fair’s auctions start on Thursday at 4 p.m. and run through Saturday.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the fair cost $25 for a season pass and $5 for a day pass. Children under 10 can get free day passes.
Grandstand event tickets are sold separately, and can be purchased at the fair’s offices or by calling 419-289-0466. Tickets for the Josh Turner concert are also sold online.
For Rice, the county fair is the culmination of a year’s worth of planning that she compares to a familiar eight-tentacled critter: the octopus.
“You never know which way it’s going to go at any given time, with the tentacles. It’s a lot of work but the board members and all the volunteers we have are super and we pull it together and try to make it the best for the people visiting,” she said.
You can consult the full fair schedule below.
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