Staff writer
The 2016 Marion County Fair will offer six days of activities, including an evening of family fun before the official first day July 27.
A ranch rodeo at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the fairgrounds arena will simulate the work of cowboys and cowgirls — team sorting, trailer loading, doctoring, and calf branding.
Kraft Rodeo at 8 p.m. July 27 and 28 in the arena will offer saddle bronc, bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, and kids’ mutton bustin’ and calf scramble.
Kids must be 6 years old or older and weigh less than 60 pounds to compete in mutton bustin’. Calf scramble competitors must 10 or younger. All participants will receive an award.
Rodeo tickets are available at the arena ticket office. Prices are $6 for one night or $10 for both nights, and $5 for children 6-12. Children 5 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult.
This year’s fair parade, scheduled for 6 p.m. July 29 downtown, will feature the return of McPherson Pipe Band. After the parade, the pipe band will perform at the fairgrounds.
Skywalkers Gymnastics will demonstrate tumbling at 6:30 p.m. July 29in the Commercial Building, and Emprise Bank will serve watermelon west of the Pavilion.
A truck and antique tractor pull will begin at 7 p.m. July 29 in the arena.
Saturday evening’s arena entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. with a kids’ pedal pull for children 4 through 12. The top three finishers in each age category will be eligible to compete at the 2016 Kansas State Fair. Demolition derby will begin at 7 p.m. and include a youth lawn mower and kids’ Power Wheel derby, 3-man team derby, “semi-mod” derby and the combined figure eight and junior figure eight races.
On Sunday, Paul Daily, founder of Wild Horse Ministries, will conduct a 9 a.m. community church service at the arena. The service will feature a young colt demonstrating how wild horses react to trainers as people should react to God.
After the service, fairgoers can visit a children’s petting zoo from noon to 2 p.m. at the Pavilion. The petting zoo will feature baby rabbits, piglets, goats, lambs, chicks, ducklings, kittens, alpacas, miniature donkeys, miniature horses, and miniature donkeys.