Red Lake County Fair was Fun for All Ages

Saturday morning the Fair started out with the 5K Walk/Run for Autism. Contestants lined up to register at 8:30 a.m. and were off and running or walking at 9:00 a.m. There were quite a few this year, but the numbers were down compared to last year. The proceeds ($252.50) from the Run for Autism were donated to the Riverview Foundation iPad Fund that helps provide technology to kids with austim. The businesses sponsoring prizes were Cenex, Eagle Square, and Underdahl Hardware Hank. D & R Grocery provided bananas for after the race. 

The winners in the 5K Walk/Run for Autism were: 18 & under male: Brock Tvedt (21:04), 18 and under female:  Katelyn Wagner (25:35), 19-40 male: Travis Larson (24:17), 19-40 female: Christine Weber (26:51), 41 and over male: no finishers, 41 and over female: Connie Wavra (35:15). 

Angie Peltier from the University of Minnesota Extension was on hand to talk to farmers and others about nematodes in soybean fields. According to studies, nematodes are becoming resistant to the resistance. She had lots of information on this issue and she will be at the Swenson Seed farm event in July. 

Make It and Take It was held at the fair. There were two crafts for the kids to do. One was string art in a log slice and the other was making a paper caterpillar. 

At the Oklee Hall there were many folks lined up for demonstrations of different types of projects. Some were just informational and others had items to purchase. Succulent boxes with Hickory Backroads showed people how to make take a wooden box, stain it, and then plant succulents in them for a beautiful planter. The cost was $20. They had a wide variety of succulents available to choose from.

Pat Asselin was demonstrating Pop Bottle art. Steven Kerner had a Model Train demonstration for train lovers. Aliza Olson was spinning mixed wool and dog hair to make yarn, she had a table set up with the steps to collect and make yarn from a variety of mediums. Jessie Hamrum and Natalie Hamrum had cards for sale that they make. They were very nice looking cards. Shirley Strand and Margaret Hamrum were busy making embroidered towels and taggy blankets with many of the items for sale. 

Outside the school in front was a musical afternoon with many different performers lined up. All afternoon from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. you could sit and listen to the talented singers. Sydney Melby, Eric & Patty Mickelson, the Jensen Sisters, Karleen Wilde, and Darriann Leigh. 

The kids were busy with the Kids Baja and Kids Demo Derby (they popped balloons in the middle of the street instead of hitting each other), and of course there were many different bouncing houses set up for the kids to play on for free.  

There was a Redneck Challenge was held at the Fair Barn on the street. This was a test of skills working together as a team with a water challenge where one teammate would be blindfolded and directed by the other teammate to the small container where they had to dump water into  and  loading/unloading salt bags onto a trailer and backing up challenge which was timed and the team with the shortest time won. The winners were Hunter Dudycha and Gavin Thomas. The prize was $20.

At 6:00 p.m. the second night of Rodeo action was held at the South Park. There were vendors set up out there and luckily no rain impeded the event.

Sunday started out with Bingo at 10 am. in the Hall. This was open to any Bingo players. At 2 p.m. the Baja Races were held at the South Park and it was quite exciting with a good crowd in attendance. There were a few pile-ups during the race but no one was hurt. One car lost it rear axle and it flew up behind the car landing one wheel in the rear window, causing that driver to drop out of the race. In the Truck race, the leader of the pack ended up on a large tire barrier and also ended up on winning as he thought he would. 

At the Oklee Hall, the 4-H Awards and Share the Fun skit by Huot Hustlers was held at 2 p.m. The 4-H kids hold their clothing and purchase clothing style show and awards from business sponsors were handed out. The 4-H always does a 4-H Trivia contest in between the different events and the kids certainly know their trivia of the 4-H organization. The winners of the questions get to go pick a prize from a table full of great 4-H items.

By the end of the day, all the exhibit have been released and another year is done. The Red Lake County Fair for 2018 is now done and planning for 2019 will be starting soon.