Dickinson County Fair opens with inclusive event, fairgrounds upgrades, and packed schedule
IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Dickinson County Fair kicked off today, welcoming families for a weekend filled with events running through Monday. Before the gates opened to the larger crowds, fair staff introduced an inclusive VIP event for families: a quiet fair that was first launched last year under the banner “Ausome Friends of the Fair’. The initiative was designed to create an inclusive experience for children with sensory concerns and autism spectrum disorders by reducing lights, sounds, and the number of attendees for a few hours before opening the main gates. The program’s popularity has soared, with participation nearly doubling this year. “We have 22 or 27 registered this year, up from 12 last year,” the fair board president said. “We reached out to the local schools and the ISD, asking if there were any students interested, and they responded.”
The fair board’s outreach efforts included contacting the Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District to gauge interest among families. “The response was overwhelmingly positive,” the president added. “It’s clear there’s a group of children who need to be included, and everyone feels this year will be even better.”
A major highlight of this year’s fair is the newly resurfaced midway. The fair board president announced a significant upgrade to the fairgrounds: a brand-new blacktop paved through the midway, replacing the old pavement that hadn’t been touched since the 1960s. “Midwest Asphalt of Iron Mountain did a fantastic job,” he noted. “They completed the project in just two weeks, delivering an asphalt thickness of about 3-4 inches, which was more than they promised.” The company even went beyond the call of duty, purchasing admission tickets for their entire staff to attend the fair. “I’ve never worked with a company so enthusiastic about doing something for a county fair,” the president remarked. “The owner of Midwest Asphalt told me, ‘I’m finally going to have something at the Dickinson County Fair my kids can be proud of.’”
Fairgoers can look forward to a variety of performances, including shows by “Rufus the Dufus,” a magician who entertains children with tricks while walking on 4-foot stilts, and a lumberjack show featuring timbermen and log rollers from Minnesota. “When Rufus isn’t performing, the timbermen will be,” the fair board president said. “They set up on the north end of the building and perform various competitions.”
In addition to these acts, the fair will feature a range of horse shows, including a riding horse show and a draft horse show on Friday at 1:30 p.m. CST, starring a 10-horse hitch of Belgian horses from Wisconsin. “They’re humongous, these big Belgian horses,” the president said.
With a full roster of vendors and favorable weather in the forecast, the fair board president is optimistic about this year’s turnout. “There are three things that go into a fair: planning, the project, and Mother Nature cooperating with us,” he said. “And it looks like we’re going to have a great fair this year.”
For the full schedule of day events, visit:
https://dickinsoncountyfair.com/day-events/
*Pictured: Fair staff set to welcome families for ‘Ausome Friends of the Fair’ for the second annual quiet fair in Dickinson County
