BY MAX SILVERSON
The Star-News

The Valley County Fair and Rodeo starts on Saturday as organizers get ready to show off arena improvements and a full stock of vendors.

“We’re finally coming back,” said Valley County Fair Board President Carl Barrett.

“After COVID we could hardly get a food vendor in there. So, this is going to be a super year,” Barrett said.

There will be 16 food vendors at the fair and another 12 commercial vendors on hand, he said.

“I’ve had to turn vendors away this year, I’ve never, ever, had to do that,” Barrett said.

The rodeo arena was completely redone this year, with metal fencing all around and modernized animal chutes to accommodate bulls, horses, sheep and other animals.

Setup and preliminary events for the fair starts on Saturday with 4-H events running Monday through Sunday, Aug. 11.

The Junior Rodeo is set for Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. with the Valley County Rodeo on Aug. 9 and 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. each evening.

Bleachers at the rodeo grounds were also redone this year, with about 200 seats added to the stands, bringing total spectator capacity to about 850 people, Barrett said.

Barrett was thrilled with the additions and renovations to the rodeo grounds.

“Usually, every year I have to turn like 200 people away, which is really hard,” he said. “That’s going to be a great addition.”

Crews are also working to complete a new structure at the north end of the arena that will serve as a concessions stand and additional bathrooms. An announcer’s booth will sit atop the building.

The improvements cost about $367,000, paid for by funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, said County Commissioner Sherry Maupin.

“The addition of the extra rodeo seats should allow the event to become profitable and help offset current funding with property tax funds,” Maupin said.

Valley County typically contributes about $35,000 per year to the Fair and Rodeo, she said.

Revamping the arena is only the start of a long-term project to transform the fairgrounds.

The Valley County Road and Bridge headquarters is to the north of the site, and the site functions as storage for several trucks, trailers and other equipment.

Much of that equipment is moved away during the fair, but it will be permanently relocated when the Road and Bridge headquarters moves to its new home on Gold Dust Road, about three miles south of Cascade.

That move is expected to happen as soon as next year, Maupin said.

Crews have already begun construction on the new, 14,000 square foot Road and Bridge building. The county has set aside $4.6 million for the project.

On the eastern side of the property are three old red barns that house the 4-H events.

“They’re getting real rickety,” Barrett said.

The barns were donated in the 1960s, and will likely need to be removed or replaced in the near future, he said.

It is uncertain what will be built in place of the barn and the current Road and Bridge headquarters at the fairgrounds, but officials are exploring the possibilities.

“The county envisions this being a gathering place for events on the southern end of the county. A place to highlight our agricultural heritage while allowing for current events like weddings, rodeos and other community events,” Maupin said.

Valley County plans to work towards a facility plan for the fairgrounds that can be used year-round by a variety of groups, she said.