Bobcats, a bear, chili and karaoke will be some of the featured contests at this
year’s Hamilton County Fair. Perhaps the most prestigious of them all is the US Finals
of the World Karaoke Contest.
For months, regional contests have been held to determine the semi-finalists for
this contest. Those winners will compete over two days to determine who reaches the
finals. On Thursday August 2, they start at 8 PM and on Friday at 6 PM. Then on Saturday,
starting at 5:30 pm, the finalists will go head to head with two winners - one male
and one female - becoming eligible to compete in the World Championships that will
be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 7-9. No word on whether Randy, Simon
and Paula will be on hand to judge, but it will still be worth watching.
Another new event is the Chili Cook-off. It will be held on Thursday, August 2, starting
at 5:00 pm. However, to qualify for this, contestants will have to submit a batch
of chili (at least two quarts) for preliminary judging on Thursday, July 29. (Register
on the web site by Thursday, July 28 at 4:00 pm) Bring your creation to the Hamilton
County Fairgrounds between 5-7:30 pm. The Fairgrounds is located on Vine Street,
just north of the Anthony Wayne, Paddock Road, Vine Street intersection, approximately
where Paddock meets Vine at the Big Indian sign! Five finalists will be picked and
invited to participate in a live cookoff during the fair. Each contestant will be
given approximately 90 minutes to prepare another two quarts of their best batch.
Hotplates will be provided but participants will have to furnish their own cookware
and dishes. A group of chefs and chili connoisseurs will pick the winners. The contest
is open to anyone and their is no entry fee, though like everything else, everyone
must pay admission to the fair.
Have you ever heard anyone say they are as hungry as a bear? Well, the fair will
attempt to see of this is true. All the details are not firm yet, but there will
be a bear on hand at the fair - a bear with a fancy not for chili, but another Hamilton
County favorite: pizza. Papa John’s Pizza will supply the food and volunteers can
go head to head with the bear to see who can consume the most pizza. To find out
the time and other news regarding this, visit the Fair’s web site or sign up for
their newsletter (there’s a link on the site.)
Another first-time event at the fair this year is the Bobcat Rodeo. This is not open
to visitors to participate in, but it should be fun and exciting to see men and women
ride a Bobcat. Not the animal, but the machine! There will be contests such as stacking
tires, picking marbles up from a sand trap and more. If you are experienced in handling
one of these machines and want to match your skills against others, try contacting
Pat Schmetzet at Bobcat Enterprises, 874-8945.
In addition to these contests, there are hundreds of other contests that are open
to participants, with over $9,000 in prize money available. All of them - from antiques
to zucchini are listed on the web site, or you can visit your library and pick up
a Premium guide that has all the rules, categories and prizes listed.
The fair will be held from August 1-5 and is a project of the Hamilton County Agricultural
Society, and organization that traces its history back to former President William
Henry Harrison. Your support is needed to keep the fair and fairgrounds in the Valley.
