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Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 71F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 71F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

MaKayla Morrison helps Neely and Knox Gaylord fill bags with water beads and soybeans at an activity Friday at the fair.

Hunter, Connor and Aydn Rorabaugh receive snowcones from the Philp Insurance Agency’s stand at the fair

MaKayla Morrison helps Neely and Knox Gaylord fill bags with water beads and soybeans at an activity Friday at the fair.

Hunter, Connor and Aydn Rorabaugh receive snowcones from the Philp Insurance Agency’s stand at the fair

Having been running for over 160 years, Iowa’s Oldest County Fair is here in Lee County. “Next year starts planning next week,” said Brock Westfall, a board member of the county fair for nine years, president of the board for six of them, “You know, where we can improve, where we can get better.

Kids Day is a large part of the planning, “You know, we do it all for the kids,” said Westfall, “Kids have a spot in the show barn and times where they do shows. We do all the grandstand events midway through Kids Day. We have sponsors that help us, but what drives them, and everyone here, are the kids. It’s about the kids; they all do and give everything they can.”

Welch’s Insurance company was giving out free cotton candy. In addition, magician Kevin Barnes gave free shows throughout the day.

Heidi Hoenig from Argyle brought her kids to the fair for the day, where they loved the rides, especially the ferris wheel. Siblings Hunter, Conor, and Ayden Rorabaugh were in line for free snow cones provided by Philp Insurance Agency.

“We like to ride the rides, and we love the cotton candy,” Ayden said.

Welch’s Insurance Agency had a stand where they interfaced with fairgoers and handed out cotton candy. Stacey Robinson, the agency’s owner, said, “We started doing this at the office during the fair, and now we come here. In our first year on the fairgrounds, we did a sensory bin. Then three years ago, we got a cotton candy machine and started making cotton candy. It’s a great way to give back, and it’s something fun for the kids.”

The FFA of Central Lee High School had a gazebo filled with sensory activities for children. There was a station for building with biodegradable packing peanuts made of soy, making a necklace with a bag filled with water beads and soybeans, a station to plant grass seed, and a container to decorate their future micro-lawns.

Other businesses, like the Lee County Health Department, were there to inform families of upcoming activities, and complimentary services, like dental checkups and immunizations, required for school enrollment.

Lee County Conservation had a kiosk filled with local animal pelts and a fishing game for the kids to reel in large, plastic fish with pictures of local fish taped to their undersides.

A Medforce Air Medical helicopter and crew even landed midday to show children the cockpit and inside the aircraft, “I think it’s good to get out in the community and let everyone know we’re here to help,” said flight nurse Julie Davis. “This is a kid-friendly event. So they get to look at the helicopter and not be so scared if they’re ever around it in the future.”

Fair Queen Hailey Tweedy was also busy with Kids Day.

“My junior, Kayla Wenke, has been showing animals all morning. But I was over at this swine show, handing out ribbons and taking pictures. I’ve been here face painting and talking with the kids and how much fun they’re having.”

Kids Day is a beautiful tradition that celebrates the midpoint of the summer holiday for folks who have been attending the Lee County Fair since they were children.

Dustin Belknap, a vendor and once a child that participated in Kids Day, said, “Summers aren’t summers without a county fair.”

Kids Day is yet another opportunity for Lee County to provide children, families, and vendors time to come together and give back to the community.

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 71F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 71F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

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