It's back! Sanders County Fair kicks off today

One year after Covid-19 halted the Sanders County Fair everyone is chomping at the bit for the 2021 event which began today.

The Carnage on the Clark Fork demolition derby and three nights of rodeo will highlight this year’s event.

The demolition derby is at 5 p.m. Sunday and big prizes are in store for the top six finishers in the main event. The winner will take home $10,000 while $7,500 goes to second and $3,500 to third. Fourth place claims $2,500, fifth gets $1,000 and sixth takes home $500.

Wyoming’s Powder River Rodeo and Oklahoma’s D&H Cattle Co. will provide the stock and rodeo veterans knows what that means - great action inside the arena. Three bulls from D&H Cattle have won five PBR world championships.

Rodeo action begins at 7 p.m. Thursday with bull riding, Women’s Pro Rodeo Association barrel racing and youth mutton busting.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Sanders County 4-H Ambassadors Dance, held in the 4-H pavilion, begins at 8 p.m. and is open to the public.

More than two dozen food and drink vendors will have plenty of choices for hungry fair goers while well over 100 commercial vendors will have plenty of goods to choose from.

A free shuttle bus will run from the Plains Senior Center Friday through Sunday.

Here are the ticket prices for the rodeo, demolition derby, parking and carnival.

For the rodeo, Thursday through Saturday, general admission tickets each night are $20 for adults 19 and over. Teens, ages 11-18, tickets are $15 each night. Children, 10 and under, are free when accompanied by an adult.

Reserved seating tickets in the grandstand are $25 each night. Bucking chutes seating is $30 each night.

For those who plan to see all three nights of rodeo, the first package is $75 and includes one grandstand reserved seat and one general parking pass. The second package is $150 and includes two grandstand reserved seats and one general parking pass.

For Sunday’s demolition derby, bleacher seating, drinking or non-drinking, tickets are $20. Grandstand seating tickets, drinking or non-drinking, are $30. Bucking chute seating tickets, drinking, are $35.

Carnival wrist bands are $35. A parking permit is $10 a day or $30 for the week. Accessible parking is available north of the pavilion.

TUESDAY, Aug. 31

10 a.m.-8 p.m. - Judging for Art, crafts, photography, sewing and needlecraft exhibits

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 1

10 a.m.-8 p.m. - Culinary arts, floriculture and horticulture entered

1-6 p.m. - Livestock, poultry and rabbit exhibits entered

1 p.m. - Begin checking in animals (large and small) Market Animal Weigh-in conducted upon arrival. This will be the sale weight.

7 p.m. - Deadline for all animal deliveries (large & small)

7 p.m. - Potluck Barbeque

THURSDAY, Sept. 2

9 a.m. - 4-H Horse Show/Interviews

10 a.m. - Beef Interviews

10 a.m. - Judging for Culinary Arts, Floriculture and Horticulture exhibits

1 p.m. - Swine Interviews

1 p.m. - Rabbit Interviews

2 p.m. - Poultry Interviews

1-4:30 p.m. - Interview judging for all 4-H/FFA exhibits entering in the Home-Ec building

4 p.m. - Carnival rides open

5 p.m. Goat/Sheep Interviews

7 p.m. - Bull riding, WPRA Women’s Barrel Racing and Youth Mutton Busting

FRIDAY, Sept. 3

Market animal pictures will be taken after each respective show.

9 a.m. - Swine Show

10 a.m. - 4-H Silent auction begins in Home-Ec Building

1 p.m.- Goat/Sheep Show

2 p.m. - Rabbit Show

3 p.m. - Cat Show & Interviews

4 p.m. - Poultry Show

7 p.m. - PRCA Rodeo

SATURDAY, Sept. 4

Market animal pictures will be taken after each respective show

10 a.m. - Beef Show (Market Beef & Beef Breeding)

11 a.m - Fair parade

11:30 a.m. - Open class beef judging

3 p.m. - Small Animal Round Robin Showmanship – (Rabbit, Poultry, Goat, & Cat)

4 p.m. - Large Animal Round Robin Showmanship – (Horse, Beef, Sheep & Swine)

5 p.m. - Livestock Superintendents’ Meeting

7 p.m. - PRCA Rodeo

8-11 p.m. - Sanders County 4-H Ambassadors Dance, 4-H pavilion

SUNDAY, Sept. 5

9 a.m. - 4-H Awards Presentation - Show Arena

10 a.m. - 4-H Market Stock Sale

2 p.m. - 4-H Silent Auction ends

5 p.m. - Demolition derby

Midnight - Carnival rides close