Judy Kramer
County Reporter
Floats were in full bloom this year at the Cole Camp Fair, and none more colorful than the 2023 Grand Champion Float from Trinity Lutheran Church. The Livestock show took place on Wednesday, September 6, followed by the remainder of events on September 7-9. Entertainment included music, carnival rides, coronation of royalty, antique and classic tractor show, parades, adult games, children’s contests, Jaycee Beer Garden, 5K Run/2-Mile Walk, baby show, teen garden dance, coronation of fair Queen Ashlyn Russell and so much more.
“Many volunteers helped with the fair,” said North Side County Commissioner Scott Harms, who has been on the Cole Camp Fair Board for 29 years. “We wouldn’t be able to have a fair without them. They included many groups of people such as the Cole Camp High School football team (with young backs) who picked up exhibit cases from the Cole Camp Fair storage building and set them up. The team also pushed nursing home residents to the fair on Friday to see what was happening. At the end of the fair the local soccer team took down the exhibition cases and returned them to storage.”
This year marked the 150th anniversary of the Cole Camp Municipal Band. It was the first time in 25 years that it had played at the fair and they provided a free Saturday evening of music.
Fair board member Earl Theisen said that the temperature was perfect for the fair, and everything went well. He said that most fairs only have one parade, but Cole Camp paraded three nights. He said that on Thursday, there were four high school bands in the parade and two bands on Friday and Saturday. The bands were from Smith-Cotton High School, and other high schools in Cole Camp, Smithton and Lincoln. Theisen said that the bands bring a lot of parents to see the town and the people, and they are likely to come back to visit later.
“The fair changes every year with different shows,” said Theisen. “There are many ways for people to participate in contests such as providing produce, canning and photography. Everything is free unless you ride at the carnival or eat. There are a lot of fair burgers, and after three days of eating them people are usually looking for something different like pork chops. The fair is always a treat and we will have a board meeting in October to discuss the one taking place in 2024. There will be a mass meeting in November so people can come and make comments. We get a lot of information that we use for our themes from teachers who ask their students to tell or draw their favorite things at the fair.”
Thursday was a big day for entries and judging, opening of exhibits, Super Teen Contest, start of carnival rides, presentation of National Colors, Welcome Address, Queen Coronation and the opening of the Jaycee Beer Garden from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
New activities on Friday included the tractor show, adult games and children’s contests, the Grand Parade of all floats and awarding of ribbons, and the Girls Next Door at the bandstand.
Saturday’s new highlights included the 5K Run/2-Mile Walk, Coon Dog Show, Kiddie Parade, Baby Show, Children’s Pedal Pull, Cow Chip Throwing Contest and the Teen Garden Dance from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
