By: Ryan Duey
Photos Courtesy of Clay County Fair Association FB page
The 2025 Clay County Free Fair is set for July 23rd-27th at the Clay County Fairgrounds. Area 4-H members and River Valley Extension staff are preparing for nearly a full week of competition, events, activities, and celebration.
Melissa Baxter, 4-H Program Manager in the Clay Center Extension Office, said the Fair is an opportunity for the members to showcase the work they’ve put in throughout the year.
“The kids get to showcase the hard work they’ve been putting in. A lot of our kids have projects that they’re working on all year long, like quilting, or livestock, our horse kids, and our dog kids also work all year long.
“The Fair is just a good chance for them to show the work they’ve been putting in, and seeing the pride on their faces is one of the best parts of Fair week.”
Baxter said anyone in the community can show off their works during the open class exhibits, it’s not solely for 4-H members. The Clay County Fair Parade will kick off Fair week again this year on July 21st. Followed by many activities throughout the week, including a special event for the area youth.
“We’re going to have a variety of events throughout the fair. One of the big events that the 4-H Ambassadors will be doing is their ‘Meet Me at the Fair.’ They’ll invite daycares and nursing home residents, and anyone else who would like to come, for that matter. We’ll have different 4-Hers there with their projects, just showcasing some of their products for the group. So that’s a fun thing for the Ambassadors.”
“We’ll have Barnyard Olympics, a pedal pull, we’ll have the parade again this year, and Cowboys for Christ will be out here doing horse rides.”
“We’re also going to do a Peewee Showmanship. Anyone in the community who is under the age of 7 can be in that. We’ll have kids who are going to bring animals like a calf, a pig, a goat, a lamb, and a dairy calf. The kids will get to experience showmanship in the ring.”
“That’s a lot of fun for the older kids, helping the youngsters find their spark with the livestock project.”
The annual Clay County Rodeo will again take place the week before the Fair on July 16th and 17th. The Fair is a special time, when the community comes together to socialize, eat good food, and enjoy all the activities the Fair has to offer.
While there, be sure to take the time to enjoy the exhibits and all the hard work the area youth have done throughout the year.
