August 8th-13th

225 S Hudson, Lowell MI 49331

Download schedule here: KentCountyYouthFair2016.pdf

Or visit http://kcyf.org

Daily Events – Free fun all day long!

Chase’s Racing Pigs… shows at 1pm, 4pm & 7pm Daily; Saturday at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, & 7pm… by Draft Horse Tent

Ag Adventure… play and learn about livestock and agriculture… Foreman Building

Meijer Children’s Barnyard… petting zoo by Fair Entrance

Antique Tractors on Display… Foreman Bldg

Draft Horse & Tractor Shuttles… park & ride in fair style

Free Entertainment Tent… fantastic events everyday… near Midway

BINGO… 1pm-5pm; 6pm-10pm Daily… next to Free Entertainment Tent

Track Events… Pulls and more, evenings on the track!

Ron Wenger Memorial Tractor… play & learn on the tractor!… by Children’s Barnyard

Schedule of events

Friday, AUGUST 7^TH

10am Dog Showmanship, Obedience & Rally… Klackle Orchards Pavilion

Saturday, AUGUST 8^TH

10am-3pm Still Exhibit Judging… Free Ent Tent

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9^TH

2:30pm Explore Recognition… Free Ent Tent

4:30pm-6pm Pork Dinner… bbq pork or chicken ($6.50) or hot dog ($4)… Event Tent

6:30pm Opening Ceremonies & Royal Court Coronation… Free Ent Tent

7pm Goat Team Fitting… Reath Barn

8pm Horse Kick-Off Event… Practice Arena

Monday, AUGUST 10^{TH –} Heroes’ day

Heroes’ park free! Active military, Veterans, Fire, Police and EMT’s show your ID at the gate for free parking and The Kent County Youth Fair thanks you for your service.

9am Horse Judging: Showmanship… Horse Arena

9am-1pm Off Road Vehicle Safety Class… free, but please register at kcyf.org/off-road-vehicle-boating-safety-classes… King Building

9:30am Goat Judging: Showmanship Breed and Market Classes; Costume Contest follows… Reath Barn

Noon-2pm Youth Talent Contest Registration… entry forms available at kcyf.org… North Entrance

1pm Cavy Breed & Showmanship… Rabbit Tent

2pm Horse Judging: Grand & Reserve Showmanship… Horse Arena

3pm Horse Explorers: Explorer Showmanship & Riding… Horse Arena

4pm-7pm Michigan Blood Center Blood Drive… Get on the bus! Please register at kcyf.org to make an appointment or stop by the bus.

5pm Rabbit Breed Judging… Rabbit Tent

5pm Antique Tractor Pull Weigh In… Track

5pm-Close Carnival Rides Open… Wristband Special: $14; Mega Pass Specials*: Any 5 days for $50, a savings of at least $33; Any 3 days for $36, a savings of at least $17! *Mega Passes *Non-transferable *No Rain Checks *No Refunds *Available at the Fair Business Office.

6pm Swine Showmanship… Reath Barn

6pm Horse Judging: Senior/Horsemasters Presentations… Horse Arena

6:30pm Youth Fashion Show… Free Ent Tent

7pm Antique Tractor Pull: Open Event… Track

7pm Youth Talent Contest… Open Event with Cash Prizes; see kcyf.org/entertainment for more details… Free Ent Tent

7:30pm Horse Judging: Contesting: Down & Back; Poles… Horse Arena

Tuesday, August 11^{th –} reading for rides day

10am-8pm The college of veterinary medicine… Meijer Children’s Barnyard

8am Horse Judging: Jumping… Horse Arena

9am Poultry Judging… Poultry Barn

9am Swine Judging: Market Class; Explorer Showmanship Following… Reath Barn

9am-2pm Boating Safety Class… free, but please register at kcyf.org/off-road-vehicle-boating-safety-classes… King Building

11:30pm Performing Arts Vocal & Instrumental: Registration… Free Ent Tent

Noon Performing Arts Vocal & Instrumental Judging… Free Ent Tent

Noon Horse Judging: Hunter Hack… Horse Arena

Noon-4pm Reading for Rides & Book Exchange… Kids ride carnival free with completed registration form!… Go to kcyf.org for registration form and complete rules… Midway

Noon-4pm Free blood Pressure Check… Event Tent

1:30pm Horse Judging: Hunt Seat Ground Poles… Horse Arena

2pm Cattle Fitting Clinic, Team Fitting Contest… Beef Arena

2pm-Close Carnival Rides Open… Wristband Special: $18; $3.00 off Carnival Coupon available at many locations in Kent County; Carnival coupon is good for Tuesday ONLY. Mega Pass Specials*: Any 5 days for $50, a savings of at least $33; Any 3 days for $36, a savings of at least $17!

3:30pm Horse Judging: Hunter Hack… Horse Arena

4pm Dog Agility Registration… Football Field

4pm Goat Trail Class… Reath Barn

4pm Horse Judging: Saddle Seat… Horse Arena

4:15pm The Illusionist, Tom Coverly… Free Ent Tent

4:30pm Horse Explorers: Stick Horse Construction… King Building

4:30pm Dog Agility Judging… Football Field

5pm Rabbit Judging: Showmanship… Rabbit Tent

5:30pm Horse Explorers: Stick Horse Parade… Midway to Horse Barns/Arena

7pm Horse Judging: Pleasure: Hunt Seat, Western… Horse Arena

7pm Club KCYF with the Mid-West Dueling Pianos… Free Ent Tent

Wednesday, August 12^th – Community Day

Local non-profits join us at fair from 2pm to 7pm

8am Beef Steer Market Classes… Horse Arena

8am Horse Judging: Hunt Seat Equitation… Horse Arena

8:30am-10am Performing Arts: Storytelling, Puppetry & Theater Judging… Free Ent Tent

9am Goat Milking Contest… Goat Barn

9am Dairy Market Judging: Showmanship, Market, Explorer… Reath Barn

9am Horse Judging: Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, and Western Riding Patterns… Horse Arena

10am-8pm The college of veterinary medicine… Meijer Children’s Barnyard

10:30am-Noon Performing Arts: Dance and other evaluations… Free Ent Tent

12:30pm-2pm Performing Arts: Clown Judging… Free Ent Tent

1pm-5pm Michigan Blood Center Blood Drive… North Entrance

1pm Feeder Beef Judging & Beef Breed Heifer Show (time approx. following lunch break)… Beef Arena

2pm Rabbit & Cavy Individual Quiz Bowl and Breed Identification… Rabbit Tent

2pm-7pm Visit Local Kid-Oriented Non-Profit Organizations… Midway

2pm-Close Carnival Rides Open… Wristband Special: $18; Mega Pass Specials*; Any 3 days for $36, a savings of at least $17

4pm Horse Judging: Reining and Bareback… Horse Arena

4pm Sheep Judging: Market, Showmanship & Breed… Reath Barn

5pm Dodge Ball Tournament… Teams of 5 will work their way to the top! Get rules & entry form at kcyf.org/dodgeball… Football Field

5pm Alpaca Obstacle Course… Football Field

6pm Rabbit & Cavy Costume Class & Adult Showmanship… Rabbit Tent

6:30pm Horse Explorers: Explorer Stick Horse Reining Event… Practice Arena

6:30pm Horse Judging: Contesting: Speed & Action and Keyhole… Horse Arena

7pm Draft Horse Pull… Using Barnyard Rules…Track

7pm Kari Lynch Band… Free Ent Tent

Thursday, August 13^th – Agricultural Day

8am Horse Judging: Dressage Tests… Horse Arena

8am Beef Showmanship… Beef Arena

9am-11am Goat Quiz Bowl… Free Ent Tent

10am Rabbit & Cavy Explorer…Rabbit Tent

10am-2pm The college of veterinary medicine… Meijer Children’s Barnyard

Noon Horse Judging: Equitation: Dressage Seat; Western; Gymkhana… Horse Arena

Noon Livestock Auction begins… Small Animals Sale Order: Rabbit, Poultry, Goats followed by the Sale of Champions; Large Animals Sale approximately 2pm. Sale Order: Swine, Sheep, Feeder Calf, Gallon of Milk, Beef followed by the Sale of Champions… Reath Barn

1pm-3pm Youth Variety Show… Free Ent Tent

2pm-Close Carnival Rides Open… Wristband Special: $18; Mega Pass Specials*; Any 3 days for $36, a savings of at least $17

6pm Tractor Games Check-In… Bring your tractor and compete in various timed events… Track

6:30pm Horse Explorers: Stick Horse Contesting Event… Practice Arena

6:30pm Horse Judging: Contesting: Flag and Cloverleaf… Horse Arena

7pm Extrication Demonstration… Near Foreman Bldg

7pm Tractor Games… Track

7pm-9:45pm West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association Presents Steam Powered BlueGrass & Out of the Blue… Free Ent Tent

Friday, August 14^th – Handi-capable Day

8am Horse Judging: Trail… Horse Arena

10am Dairy Showmanship Classes: Dairy Type Classes immediately following… Reath Barn

11am Rabbit Agility & Cavy Obstacle Course…Rabbit Tent

11am-2pm Carnival Rides & Luncheon for Special Needs Individuals… Lunch is 11am-1pm, rides from noon-2pm… King Building/Midway, attending is free but please register at kcyf.org/handi-capable-day

Noon Horse Explorers: Stick Horse Trail Event… Horse Arena

1pm Horse Judging: Grand & Reserve Equitation… Horse Arena

2pm-Close Carnival Rides Open… Wristband Special: $18 6pm Cow Pie Bingo Ticket Sales… Beef Barn

2pm Goat Parent “Fun bowl” Class… Rabbit Tent

2pm-4pm Teen Leadership Judging… Event Tent

2:30pm Tractor Driving Judging… Track

3pm Alpaca Showmanship (including Explorers)… Reath Barn

3pm Horse Judging: Versatility… Horse Arena

6pm Horse Explorers: Stick Horse Team Games… Horse Arena

6:30pm Horse Judging: Team Performance Games… Horse Arena

6:30-10:30pm Country Karaoke with Diva Productions… Free Ent Tent

7pm Extrication Demonstration… Presented by Lowell Fire Dept.

7pm Cow Pie Bingo, Silent Auction…Beef Arena

8pm-11pm Family Line Dance with Lia’s Line Dancing & Dance Moves… Reath Barn

Saturday, August 15^th – Meijer Kids’ Day

9am-Noon $1 parking with 3 or more non-perishable food items. All food items will be donated to the food pantry at F.R.O.M.

All Day Scavenger Hunt… Get your scavenger hunt page at guest services or print at kcyf.org/kids-day. All who complete the hunt will be put into a drawing to win one of several bicycles… Fairgrounds

8:30am Showmanship Sweepstakes… Reath Barn

9am Horse Awards Ceremony… Free Ent Tent

10am Little Britches Rodeo- Slack… Horse Arena

Noon-5pm Live & Local… local youth bands… Free Ent Tent

Noon-6pm Carnival Rides Open… BOGO FREE Ride Armbands: Noon-2; Use your $2 off food coupon from Reading for Rides for some great food!

2pm Alpaca Costume Classes… Reath Barn

2pm Little Britches Rodeo… Rodeo fun for everyone!… Horse Arena

2pm Ice Cream Social hosted by the Milky Way 4-H Club… Free, while supplies last… Midway

3pm Princess Tea Party… King Building

3pm Puff the Dragon Pedal Pull: Youth Classes… Midway

5pm-8pm Release of Horses

6pm Little Britches Rodeo… Main Event. No cover charge… Horse Arena

7pm Truck Stop Cobras… Free Ent Tent

9pm Release of Breeding Stock & Still Exhibits

10pm Release of Market Animals

11pm Kent County Youth Fair Closes for 2015.

Release of all other Exhibits

See you in 2016!

Montcalm County 4-H Fair 2011 Grand Champion Beef Showman and Grand Champion Market Steer.
Special thanks to buyer Lee Story for supporting Jordan and 4-H!

By Hope Cronkright

Like Elvis, Edward and Bella from Twilight now have impersonators. Instead of singing on stage in front of an audience, these impersonators are a girl and her beloved goat from a 4-H fair project.

Kelly McCauley, as Bella, and her Alpine Bore goat, now named Edward, made their debut the beginning of August at the Kent County Youth Fair.

Kelly explained how the idea of “Edward” got started. Kelly needed to think of a costume for her and her goat to wear in the goat costume class. She said, “My aunt is obsessed with Twilight and she told me, ‘you should be a vampire.’” Sporting a tux and a dress complete with the cast, Edward and Bella were easily identified by 4H fairgoers.

Edward and Bella received three awards—1st in Breed and Market, and 3rd in showmanship. Edward was a market goat purchased in a livestock auction by the Cedar Springs Family Fare. The store then donated the goat back after the auction, and Kelly takes care of it at their Green Acres Farm (yes, named after the old TV show) in Cedar Springs.

“We work hard all year for fair,” remarked Kelly. “You learn responsibility [by] taking care of the animals.” Kelly became a 4-H explorer at the young age of five and plans to continue 4-H until the age of 19.

Lori Ostrom, Kelly’s mother said, “It’s fun to see kids enjoy their animal. And learning by doing as a 4-H member puts my kids in a spot where I know where my kids are, they are safe, and staying out of trouble.”

Edward the goat has created such a sensation that he now he has 50 fans on Facebook after only three weeks. One fan wrote, “Robert Pattinson has nothing on you.”

If you’d like to see Edward and Bella, they will be visiting a petting zoo in Sparta on September 26 at the Harvest on the Ridge Festival.