The History of Eau Claire County Fair
The city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin is popular for its party vibe, thanks to the students of University of Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Technical College, and a couple other colleges. Many of local businesses rely quite a bit on the surrounding colleges. Back in the late 19th century, Eau Claire was famous for lumber industry and at one time had 22 lumber mills in the city. However, as the lumber industry slowed down, the area shifted more focus into manufacturing and education. One thing that stayed the same since then is the Eau Claire County Fair.
The Eau Claire County Fair began in 1924, and for the first seven years was held in Augusta. This fair featured a carnival and horse races. In 1930 the fair building burned and the fair was moved to Fall Creek. After the city of Eau Claire hosted the fair in 1934 and 1935, it returned to Augusta until 1939.
Members of the county youth organizations, with the greatest participation by 4-H and FFA members, continue to have the opportunity to learn, have fun and be recognized for their accomplishments through the county fair tradition. Since 1996, two full “Kids’ Days” have brought hundreds of youth from the general public to the fair to enjoy safe, low cost, family-centered activities sponsored by 4-H.
The Eau Claire County Fair takes place at the Eau Claire County Exposition Center. The fairground is coded from A to F with many different attractions and events on each area. The show always starts on the 3rd Saturday of July with many events being held throughout the week such as silent auction, collector car show, and petting zoo. There are also many different contests held over the week, ranging from livestock contest, kids drawing contest, all the way to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) competition. At the end of the fair, the committee gives out awards for the booths around the fair, categories ranging from “Most Adorable Pet” to “Best Tasting Corndogs”. It’s a very nice way to acknowledge the people who make the fair possible and fun. The sheer amount of events and activities to do can feel quite overwhelming at times, but it’s always nice to know that everyone of all ages can find something they enjoy.
