What to Do at the Hamilton County Fair (Aug. 10-14)

The Hamilton County Fair is a major local attraction that heralds the end of summer. If you’re looking for some unforgettable entertainment and engaging activities to fill you time over the second week in August, this is a prime pick. Head out to the fairgrounds between August 10 and 14 to partake in the following festivities—it’s about a 20 minute drive from Springs at Liberty Township.

Hit the Grandstand

The Grandstand events always produces the most exciting highlights of the fair. Check out one of these exciting demolition events:

• Celebrity Demolition Derby: Wednesday, August 10
• General Demolition Derby: Thursday, August 11
• General Demolition Derby: Saturday, August 13

The Grandstand is also hosting donkey races and ATV drag racing on Friday, August 12. While the drag races are a serious affair, any qualifying fairgoer can hop on a donkey for a race. To participate in the race, you must be at least 16 years old, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, register early, and sign the appropriate waivers before the event.

The final Grandstand event is the rodeo on Sunday, August 14 at 5 p.m. Make sure you arrive early get a good seat for this popular highlight.

Catch Music and Dance Performances

The Hamilton County Fair hosts a diverse range of dance performances. You can see Anya’s Belly Dancers on Friday, Can’t Stop Cloggers and Judy Link Dancers on Saturday, and the Queen City Cloggers on Sunday.

Live music is a major draw at the fair, and the lineup includes one live concert every night:

• Runaway Sidecar: Wednesday
• The Touchtones: Thursday
• Cheap Thrill: Friday
• The Diamond Dews Band: Saturday
• Naked Karate Girls: Sunday

Watch Intriguing Demonstrations

The county fair is a great place to learn something new. You can see livestock, horse demonstrations, pig races, and K-9 demonstrations that give you a closer look at animals you might not encounter every day. Pesky’s Farm Petting Zoo will even let you pet some of your favorite farm animals.

Throughout the fair, Cabochon Works, LLC will demonstrate various arts including beading, stone cutting, cabbing, and soapstone carving, the Cincinnati Carver’s Guild will give you an idea of what you can do with different types of wood, and Rachel Clark will provide daily crochet and knitting demonstrations using different materials and techniques.

Step Back to the Civil War

The 105th Volunteer Infantry is providing Civil War encampment and reenactment demonstrations each day at the fair. Come on Saturday and you can even catch Abraham Lincoln among the ranks.

What’s your favorite highlight of the Hamilton County Fair? Share your top picks in the comments section below!