Fair filled week in Jersey County

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By Austin Andre

The fairgrounds were packed throughout the week for the 2023 Jersey County Fair. With carnival rides, fair food and a long list of grandstand events there was something for everyone to enjoy all week.

“We had a marvelous fair,” Fair Board President Phil Ringhausen said. “The community came out to support us so greatly. We had a packed crowd almost every night.”

Things kicked off Tuesday with the Fair Parade making its way down State Street before the amusement rides opened and the talent show started in the evening.

Wednesday evening, Kyndal Price was crowned Miss Jersey County and Blakely Green was crowned Little Miss Jersey County while the grandstand hosted the Fair Queen Pageant.

Anna Fink was first runner up Wednesday in the Miss Jersey County Fair Pageant. Lily Wilson was second runner up, Kyndal Price Miss congeniality, 50/50 sales was Elli Sullivan and Kadie Mueller was people’s choice.

Harper Steckel was the first runner up in Little Miss Jersey County, Kennedy Brunaugh was second, Hynlee Hill was third, Allie Madson was fourth and Harper Steckel was People’s Choice.

The grandstand was full again Thursday and Friday with the rodeo and tractor pulls.

The Jersey County Fair held its two final grandstand events over the weekend on Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16. The first grandstand event was the I.T.P.A (Illinois Tractor Pulling Association) show. The three classes in the show were light modified, limited pro stock, and 2WD trucks. The crowd was ecstatic as the event continued, with the roaring engines, thick clouds of smoke, and kicked-up dirt filling up the fairground air underneath a clear evening.

The engines could be heard clearly across town as the event drew on. The tractor pull started on Saturday at 6 p.m. with the 11,500lb class.

The first-place winners of the contests were Clint Brisco, who took first place in his class with a pull of 319.31, Drew DeClerk in the lightly modified class with a pull of 343.05, Bethany Nelson in the 2WD trucks class with a pull length of 335.18, and Ryland Helbig came first with the limited pro stock class with his pull length 310.36. The pulls had an amazing turnout with a packed grandstand and infield.

The demolition derby followed the next day on Sunday. Storms missed the fairgrounds by about an hour, and a crystal clear evening followed for the derby. The grandstands and infield were sold out, and parking stretched close to total capacity. The classes involved in the derby were mod compact, truck/SUV, mod full, and bone stock. The first place winners for the derby were Clayton Fernadez for mod compact, Mike Brown in the Truck/Suv class, and Pallicy Mcwhorter for the mod full class.

This year’s derby saw 71 cars used throughout the event. The most used at once were in the final event, with 19. The derby came to a temporary halt when two vehicles rolled over. The first responders and officials present quickly raced to the overturned vehicles and aided the unhurt drivers.

A preliminary look at the fair’s attendance and revenue flow following the week is estimated to be around a five to ten percent increase from last year. No official number has been given as of writing.

“We’re very happy,” Ringhausen said. “We were ecstatic with how many people were coming to participate. Everything ran very smoothly.”