Every year at the beginning of the school year, students look forward to The Big Knob Fair, which has been a popular event for 80 years. Students and community members look forward to this week when returning back to school. 

The fair offers many different types of events and activities. From the variety of food, rides and games, vendor booths, livestock shows, music, truck and tractor pulls and demolition derbies, the fair offers something for everyone. The fair always kicks off with The Big Red Marching Band parading through the fair grounds and then stopping in front of the stage to play “The Star-Spangled Banner”  and some of the songs from their halftime show for the year. Followed later in the evening, there is truck and tractor pulls, with a pie eating contest for first responders. 

“My favorite part of the fair is seeing all my friends and hanging out. I like seeing the animals and riding the rides,and I especially like the food. I think it’s a fun week because everybody goes and hangs out with each other,” freshman Emma Ward said. 

Another very popular event among the students is The Big Knob Livestock Club. These students raise animals and then auction them off at the fair. The animals can range from as small as chickens to as big as steers. Students auctioned their animals off to buyers on Thursday, Sept 1. 

“I enjoy raising turkeys because it is an easy way to make a little extra cash,” senior Landen Young said. Young has been a part of the livestock club for 8 years, but he has only been showing turkeys for 3. This year at the fair, Young won grand champion for his turkeys. Young is not the only one winning awards for his animals, junior Alyssa Grunnagle won grand champion for her steers as well. The Livestock Club is filled with many community members of all ages, from the district and outside as well. 

There are also many vendor booths and other competitions to participate in. Several businesses will set up booths throughout the fair grounds with exhibits and often they provide products for sale. In the grange hall there were contests for arts and crafts, flowers, photography, fruits and vegetables. 

The fair offers many food options; from your basic cheese fries and burgers, to gyros, pizza, funnel cakes, fried oreos and so much more. Many people enjoy the classic fair lemonade that comes from multiple different stands throughout the fairgrounds.

The weekend is the busiest time at the fair, because many people pile into the arena to watch the demolition derbies. There is even a kids power wheel derby before the big shows. 

The fair is an event that many people look forward to. It provides an outlet for many people in the community to come together, show off animals, and businesses and give everyone a fun thing to do at the start of the school year.