Lots happening at Great Northern Fairgrounds

The Great Northern Fair Board and Fairgrounds Manager Frank English provided details about upcoming events on the fairgrounds as well as progress on ongoing projects at a board meeting Tuesday evening between showings of the Circus Funtastic.

Fair Board Chair Michelle Burchard said the 4:30 p.m. showing of the circus appears to have been very popular and the 7:30 looks like it will be similarly well-attended.

Among the many upcoming events is the fairgrounds’ Memorial Day celebration, the Summer Kick-off All American BBQ, which English said he is working on setting up and which has gone smoothly so far.

Saturday, the fairgrounds’ Bigger Better Barn will host a concert featuring Giving Moon, Shovels n’ Shotguns and other local talent. May 26 will be the Hi-Line Barrels Race from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., Everything Antique Show will be held June 3 through June 5, and the Hi-Line Cruising Car Show will begin at 9:30 a.m. June 9 and run until June 11 until 10:30 a.m.

Later that month, the fairgrounds will be hosting Jackpot Roping for Father’s Day June 18 and 19.

English said they also have a graduation party scheduled and buildings and the grounds are being prepared for several rentals.

As for this year’s fair, the board was presented with 4-H’s schedule for this year and the board said it would put it in their schedule and incorporate it into their posters as well.

Tuesday, July 12, at 8 a.m., 4-H will have their Interview Day at the Chuckwagon, and at 9:30 a.m. the next day will be the Horse Show in the Outside Arena.

Thursday, July 14, at 7 a.m. will be the Market Animal Weigh-In at the Bigger Better Barn with the Livestock Exhibitor Meeting and Exhibitor Meeting with Judge at 6:30 and 7 p.m., respectively, also at the Bigger Better Barn.

Friday, July 15, will have the Beef Show at 8 a.m. followed by the Dog Show at 1:30 p.m. and the Small Animal Show at 3:30 p.m. all in the Bigger Better Barn, and Saturday, July 16, will be the Pig Show at 8 a.m., the Sheep and Goat Show at 1 p.m. and Round Robin at 3 p.m. in the same building.

The 4-H Livestock Sale will be held in the Bigger Better Barn as well, at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 17.

English also talked about general goings on at the grounds, including the hiring of two new grounds keepers.

He said he’s working on getting the 4-H bathrooms back in working order as quickly as possible and he’s working with contractors to restore and update the grounds’ old office building, which has been identified as a priority project.

He said he’s also hoping to talk to them about the bathrooms near the community center, which the board has also talked about in past meetings as a priority project for them.

Burchard said the fair’s finances are still looking good and there’s only about six weeks left in the fiscal year.

Before adjourning the meeting, the board rescheduled their next regular meeting to Wednesday June 22, as well as the one after that to Wednesday, July 20, due to scheduling conflicts.