Fair participants share their experiences and the lessons they have learned.
By Rich Wicks | Panora Times, August 2025
The grandstand music is a popular draw at the Guthrie County Fair.
Travis Clark, who serves as president on the board of directors of the Guthrie County Fair, shared his thoughts on this year’s events.
“What I think is unique about our county fair is the timing of it, being Labor Day weekend,” Clark said. “And the facilities; we have phenomenal facilities down there.”
Another unique feature of the Guthrie County Fair is the number of camping spots.
“Because we have 80-plus acres of land, we have a lot of camping spots, and it fills up every year,” Clark said.
With Guthrie County being a rural and agricultural county, the farm-related events are a mainstay. Clark shared his opinion of the most popular events at the fair.
“As far as 4-H or FFA stuff, the cattle show always brings in a big crowd,” he said.
“As far as the grandstand events, the last several years, every event we’ve had has had great attendance — so much that sometimes we’ve had to bring in additional temporary seating.”
Queen candidates pose for a photo shoot during the 2024 Guthrie County Fair.
“There are currently 16 directors and seven associate directors,” Clark said. “People may not realize the amount of time, time away from work and family, that the directors and associate directors devote throughout the year. That’s what makes it all work. The planning for this year’s fair started right after 2024’s fair. We start planning it then and continue on every month.”
Currently, the fair’s website lists board members as Travis Clark (president), Bryce Arganbright (vice president), Emma Vogl (secretary), Derek Betts (treasurer), Travis Clark, John Knobbe, Tyler Carney, Troy Schwartz, Collin Clark, Jeremy Wolfe, Roger Richter, Mike Irlbeck, Preston Drake, Nathan Oleson, Mike Kenyon, Greg Rochholz, Wes Clark, Matt Harmann, Sage Bailey, Spenser Jorgensen, Tom Reil, Scott McClellan, Michelle Halbur, Kirk Rochholz, Spencer Grove, Gabel Rowley and Zack Brokaw.
Clark pointed out that the success of the fair depends ultimately on a supportive community.
“A big thank you for all the year-round support from our sponsors and donors. It takes a lot of money anymore to put on the fair,” Clark said. “I hope the weather is good so everyone can come out to enjoy it. There’s something for everybody, with the free carnival and rides, and all the shows.”
Clark recalled enjoying the Guthrie County Fair as a child and shared a favorite memory.
“I was in 4-H, and the Monday after the premium auction, we always had a water fight down by the animal barn,” he said.
Fair prices and schedule
- Admission to the fair is at the same rates as last year:
- Season pass $35
- Day pass $15
- Kids younger than 5 are admitted free
- Grandstand and carnival are free
- Active military members are admitted free
“Free” is a commonly used word in describing the fair. After gaining admission, most events and attractions are free. For example, the free carnival will run Thursday 5-9 p.m., Friday 1-10 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday 1-10 p.m. Free face painting will be available Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
All events at the Little Amphitheater are free. Those include:
- Thursday, Aug. 28, 7 p.m.: Bill Riley Talent Show (registration forms are due Aug. 25)
- Saturday, Aug. 30, 1 p.m.: Pedal Pull registration, with pulling to start at 1:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 30, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.: Laura Ernst Family juggling and aerial show
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 7 a.m.: Church service
- Sunday Aug. 31, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Kile Jackson live music
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 2 p.m.: Keith West magic and illusion show
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m.: Coronation of the 2026 Guthrie County Fair Queen
One popular annual part of the fair actually takes place outside the fairgrounds. The fair parade will be Saturday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m. Those wishing to be in the parade should line up on School Street beginning at 9 a.m. The parade route will head north on Highway 25, then west on State Street.
Other events will also be held during the fair. Beginning at 1 p.m. on Aug. 30 and 31, antique tractors will be on display, along with demonstrations of corn picking, shelling and grinding. The Lions Club will host bingo. A cribbage tournament will be held 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29.
A sand volleyball tournament will be held on Saturday, Aug. 30, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
“The Monster” arm wrestling tournament will be held on Sunday, Aug. 31. There is a $15 entry fee for competitors. Weigh-in will be 4-5 p.m., with competition starting at 5 p.m. There will be divisions for men and women, righties and lefties, in various weight ranges.
Grandstand events at the fair will include:
- Friday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m., Grand River Rodeo
- Saturday, Aug. 30, 7 p.m., Figure 8 Races
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 3 p.m. Nag races
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m. Sierra Griggs
- Sunday, Aug. 31, 8-11 p.m. Tyler Ritchton and the Highbank Boys
Another special event is the Guthrie County Fair 5K, which again this year will be organized through Synergy Wellness. Proceeds will support the 4-H Foundation. The 5K walk/run will have registration/check-in beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. The 5K begins at 8 a.m. and follows a flat and fun course. Registration cost is $30 with a T-shirt or $15 without. Those wishing to register beforehand can do so online at www.synergywellness5K-2025.itemorder.com
Static entries are part of Lilah Heinz Wilson’s involvement in the fair.
Heinz Wilson describes how her fair entries have changed over the years
Lilah Heinz Wilson, a 17-year-old junior at ACGC, has been a longtime participant in the Guthrie County Fair, and she agreed to share her experiences. Lilah’s family has a long history of involvement with the fair. Her parents are Curtis and Christina Wilson.
“My dad was on the fair board, and my mom was in charge of the fair queen contest, so I’ve always been involved a little bit. Then I started 4-H in fourth grade, so this is my seventh year in 4-H, and I started in FFA in seventh grade,” Wilson said. “I show animals and do static projects through 4-H, and then through FFA I have a broiler business, a market bird business, in which I show those chickens and then I sell them off for a profit.”
Wilson described how her fair entries have changed over the years.
“As far as the static entries, I was really into photography when I was younger. Now, I do more of the clothing and poster-type entries about animals,” Wilson said. “I’ve shown poultry and my dog. I showed rabbits for a while, and, one year, I showed a cow, but I found out that really wasn’t my thing.”
Wilson recalled what has been most difficult in showing animals at the fair.
Lilah Heinz Wilson multitasks as a cheerleader and 4-H/FFA member at the Guthrie County Fair.
Looking back over her years of entries at the county fair, Wilson shared some favorite remembrances.
“My favorite memory is my first year, when I won Showmanship with my dog. It was my first year, so I wasn’t really expecting to get anything,” Wilson said. “Then, over the years, I’ve built upon my skills, which has gotten me more awards. I also show animals at the state fair. I’ve won a couple of things at the state fair with my dog, and then I did show poultry there this year, and I got a blue ribbon and third overall. But it’s not really all about the awards for me; I like to focus on the kids and help them with their animals.”
Wilson has enjoyed her involvement with the county fair, 4-H and FFA, and she encourages others to do so as well.
“It doesn’t matter where you live. You can be active in 4-H and FFA without living out in the country. And it’s not just ‘cows and plows.’ You can do contests, you can run for office in your chapter, you can do community service, you can do educational presentations, you can do static projects,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t have to be just about the animals.”
Wilson voiced appreciation to her parents for their support of her 4-H and FFA involvement, including at the county fair.
“They’ve been a big help throughout my fair career. They’re the ones who really got me into showing, and they got me outside the box when I was younger, because, otherwise, I never would have had the confidence to do this. I was a shy kid, and this has really helped me change, so I want to throw out a big thanks to them.”
Although she is only about to begin her junior year in high school, Wilson already has a tentative career path in mind.
“I want to be an ag teacher,” Wilson said. “I’m really hoping to go to Iowa State.”
Julianna Schroeder shows some of her 4-H projects.
Schroeder is excited to show a calf at the fair for the first time
Julianna Schroeder is 12 years old and entering seventh grade at Panorama Schools. Her mother, Lindsey, teaches at Panorama. The two recently sat to talk about Julianna’s involvement in 4-H and the Guthrie County Fair.
Julianna serves as her 4-H club’s historian and has been involved in 4-H and submitting projects for the county fair since she was in fourth grade. She recalled that her very first fair project was a set of egg holders that she created from wood.
Since then, Julianna has submitted a wide variety of projects.
“I’ve done baking, garden box, crochet, nail art, a book holder woodworking project, a pearler bead flower project, and visual arts,” Julianna said.
Julianna said her favorite project so far is a crocheted horse that she submitted this year. Lindsey explained that learning to crochet took lots of practice, but Julianna kept at it.
“She made a couple of practices ones first, and then she worked at it slowly over a few months,” Lindsey said. “And it was selected to go to the state fair.”
Another project Julianna submitted this year is her garden box.
Julianna Schroeder bonds with her Angus calf, Roo.
This year, for the first time, Julianna has a fair project that is alive. She is submitting her bottle calf (an Angus calf approximately 4 months old). Lindsey said the calf has been a learning experience for the whole family.
“We’re new to this, too. Her dad and I have never had a calf either, so we’re learning together,” Lindsey said.
Julianna stated that her calf, named Roo, has been her most difficult project, because of the early hours for feeding her calf, and because Roo is not always cooperative.
“She’s stubborn, so she doesn’t want to walk most of the time, so I have to make her walk,” Julianna said.
Lindsey described the process of showing a calf at the fair.
“As a bottle calf person, she will have an interview with the judge, to talk about raising it and all the things she did. She has to show it, they have showmanship, and she has a write-up to do, and they check the pen to make sure it’s kept clean and tidy,” Lindsey said.
Julianna enjoys the various projects she has submitted, and she plans to stay in 4-H through her school years and to continue having projects at the fair. She said she doesn’t mind the many hours of work involved in her projects, and said she enjoys seeing the fruits of her labor.
Julianna Schroeder’s garden box was named Grand Champion in 2024.
Julianna recalled that the day she first met her calf, her parents hadn’t told her the reason they went for a drive, and she thought something bad may have occurred.
“When my dad said we had to go somewhere to get something, I thought my cat had died,” Julianna said.
Fortunately, the trip had a pleasant purpose, and Julianna has been working with Roo ever since. You will find them both at the Guthrie County Fair. n