Free Midway Entertainment

There is great free entertainment on the midway! Both kids and the young at heart will adore the fast paced, slapstick comedy show of Granpa Cratchet. There is tons of audience participation and lots of hugs for the kids after the show in Granpa Cratchet's "puppetmobile."

Granpa Cratchet has toured all over North America and has appeared on CBS, NBC, FOX and numerous radio shows. He will appear all week and the exact performance times will be available shortly. Check out this video below of Granpa Cratchet interacting with an audience member!  

Another must see show is Southern Illinois Premiere Acappella group BLEND. It is back by popular demand June 24th, 25th and 26th at 8 p.m. in the MEC Tent singing music from the 50's and 60's with "a twist of fun." These guys are unbelievable. Be sure not to miss this show!

Beyond The Midway

The winter midway at the Henry County Fair along
 with the grandstand (right) and art hall (left)

What comes to mind you think about a county fair? Corn dogs, queen pageants and carnival rides perhaps? But a county fair is more than just that, it's about the meaning of agriculture and its importance. The purpose of this blog is to reveal the "hidden treasures" that make up the fair, beyond the mid-way. This blog will cover topics such as the people, the exhibits, the art hall, the livestock barns and events that define a county fair.

As for myself, I have many fond memories of the Henry County Fair. When I was little I would ride as many carnival rides as I could handle. When I was older and in 4-H I showed art projects and worked the 4-H food stand.  I was also a Henry County Beef Ambassador and handed out ribbons to the many award winning cattle. I hope to communicate the importance of the county fair to friends I have from the city who seem very puzzled by this whole phenomenon. My goal of this blog is to attract people who normally don't attend the fair and to get people aware and excited for it. Another thing I hope this blog accomplishes is to get more people to exhibit and inspire others to actively participate and attend county fairs.