The 167th Dodge County Free Fair, the oldest in Minnesota, will be July 17th through July 21st. Grandstand shows this year include Bull Riding on Wednesday evening at 7pm with mutton busting for entertainment during the intermission followed by fireworks. Thursday is the Thunderbirds open stock care races at 7pm. Friday the Dodge Mayhem trailer races start at 7pm. On Saturday Demolition Derby begins at 6pm. Sunday at 3pm will be Auto Cross races. Breakfast is served from 7 to 10am at the Grandstand concession stand each day. Grandstand events are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 6 –12 years old. Bicycles will be given away each night at the grandstand shows.
Wednesday is military public service day with music scheduled in the Township Square from 11:30 am through 9:30pm. Thursday is kids and family day with fun events planned like a watermelon eating contest at 12:15, the fair prince and princess contest at 4:30pm, the mayor cow milking contest at 6pm and an amateur talent contest from 7 to 9pm. Friday is senior citizen day with music at the Township Square at 11am, 3pm and 6pm. Saturday will be the cities of Dodge County starting with a donut eating contest at 11am, The Circus Science Spectacular, Blue Lotus Dance and Just For Kix during the afternoon. The Jaggedease will provide live music starting at 6pm. Sunday will be the hot dish and pie baking at 10am and Community Celebration Church service at noon. Jeff Reinartz Music will perform from 2 to 5pm.
The Beer Garden opens at 10am daily and live music starts at 8pm every evening. The K-M Snowdrifters provide the Pull Tabs all week and a chain saw carving silent auction ends at 6pm Sunday.
The Dodge County FFA and 4-H clubs will have livestock shows and judging in the main arena all week with exhibitor’s cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, goats, rabbits and chickens in the barns to see. Wednesday the horse show starts at 9am in the horse arena. The 4-H ribbon auction is Satuirday at 9am and the open class ranch and game horse show in the horse arena starts at 9am.
There are fun things to do all over the fair every day. The midway opens at 5pm on Wednesday, noon on Thursday, 1pm on Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday. New are rubber duck races for the kids and returning is the favorite Little Farmers Barn. A free senior citizens lunch will be served at noon in the Beer Garden on Friday by Uncle Mony’s Restaurant. Face painting for kids on Saturday at the Little Farmers Barn and a kids pedal at 4pm on Saturday in front of the Grandstand. Gopher State Garden Tractor pull will be held at 11:30am on Sunday in front of the Grandstand.
