Pioneer Park in Rhinelander has been transformed with big tents, tall rides, and lines of booths.
The Oneida County Fair runs Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon.
Kerry Bloedorn has been involved with the fair since 2018, and is now President of the Oneida County Fair.
“The Oneida County Fair, I like to say it’s one of the best little fairs in the state of Wisconsin,” said Bloedorn.
Bloedorn says it’s not the same as the Wisconsin State Fair or Wisconsin Valley Fair, but instead likens it something you’d find in a Lifetime Movie.
“The handsome doctor takes the sweet gal out to the county fair. They go to the Oneida County Fair. We’ve got all the elements there,” he said.
Some of those elements include live music every day, magic shows, a lumberjack show, and some Northwoods inspired contests like a crayfish carry race, cheese curd eating contest, iron woman skillet toss, and men’s sexiest legs in a kilt contest.
There’s the classic carnival rides and food vendors. 4-H participants will have projects on display. And while there isn’t a grandstand or barn, the fair does bring in a petting zoo so kids and families can still interact with animals.
“It’s a place where families, and children especially, make those memories that can last a lifetime. You think back to going to your first fair as a child, it’s all those little things that we try to add up into those big memories that last forever,” said Bloedorn.
Because of sponsorships, donations, and volunteer hours, the Oneida County Fair is free for people to attend. Only the rides and food cost money.
“We’re so thankful for everybody that supports our little Oneida County Fair because it makes a big impact, especially on the kids that come to visit over the weekend,” said Bloedorn.
As the fair gets underway, they could still use some volunteers.
Bloedorn is hoping to get a few more people to sign up for Saturday.
“We’re looking for a few more gate greeters and we’re looking for a few more tractor trolley drivers. We’ve got this cute little tractor, Little Blue I call it, and it tows a trolley between our parking lot a couple blocks away and into the fairgrounds,” he said.
You need to be over 21 and have a valid driver’s license to drive the tractor trolley.
You can sign up to volunteer on the Oneida County Fair’s website. That’s also where you’ll find a schedule of events.
The gates open at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, July 25. It ends at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 28.
