A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
Early evening skies provide the perfect backdrop to welcome visitors to the Carlton County Fair.
The old Lutheran church was a place to mingle with old friends Friday afternoon at the fair.
There was plenty of local honey to be had at the Northeast Minnesota Beekeepers Association building Friday afternoon at the fair. Outside, a honeycomb extractor doled out free samples of golden honey, drawing a crowd.
Gracie Wilts enjoys the affection from cows from the Laveau farm in Wrenshall Friday afternoon in the cattle barn. She is from Wisconsin and was helping care for the animals last week.
Another Carlton County Fair has come and gone, and with it all the 4-H kids and their farm animals, carnival rides and games, tractors, race cars, horses, music, fair food and, of course, all the fairgoers who streamed into Barnum Thursday through Sunday to see and be seen.
Fair manager Allysha Sample estimated total attendance at 50,000 over the four days, and said Saturday broke records for attendance, including a sold-out grandstand and pit passes for that evening's demolition derby.
"We had a phenomenal fair this year," said Sample. "We couldn't have asked for better weather - breezy during the day, a little rain at night to keep the dust down. And honestly, I think the word is getting out. It's well worth the entry fee."
Carlton County 4-H program coordinator Dylan Kelly characterized his first Carlton County Fair experience as "really fun."
"The best part for me is getting a chance to see all the things our 4-Hers have been working on," Kelly said. "From raising beef cattle to paintings, gardening experience, and great projects on things including Icelandic sheep, peregrine falcons and more. I love watching the youth talk about their projects and going through the whole judging experience."
Fair treasurer Roger Gustafson - who was honored with his family as Carlton County's Farm Family of the Year - said it was a wonderful fair.
Sample and her husband, Paul, who is president of parking, were honored Saturday, as they are both stepping down after 15 years for Paul and 10 for Allysha.
"It's time," she said.
For more photos look at this week's issue of the Pine Knot.
