The Rice County Fair begins today. Marking just past the halfway point of the summer, the fair will offer all of the traditional attractions and favorites that locals have come to expect as well as a few new entertainment options and points of interest.
The 4H Barns will be busy each day of the fair, with members of the organization showing everything from cows and swine to rabbits to llamas. Rice County Fair Executive Director Peter Van Sluis said the 4H participants are the backbone of the Rice County Fair.
“The whole thing about the County Fair, it all started with the animals and the barns That’s where the tradition comes from. So, we have we have seven barns full of animals and demonstrations and judging competitions, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
This year, the grandstand events are starting off tonight with the IMCA Oldtimers Races, which are classic, restored vintage race cars, some, Van Sluis said, dating back to the 1930’s. That will be followed tomorrow night by the Enduro Races. The Barnes PRCA Rodeo is set for Friday night, the truck and tractor pull will be on Saturday, and things will wrap up on Sunday with the ever-popular demolition derby, which will begin at 1pm this year, instead of 4pm.
All of the Grandstand events will be ticketed, but as always, there is quite a bit of free entertainment and live music this year, including the Whitesidewalls who will be appearing at the Rice County Fair for the 19th time.
Rice County will have several informational booths set up over the fair’s five day run. The Environmental Services Department will be on hand with information about the county’s solid waste facility, ways to decrease food waste, recycling and the disposal of hazardous waste. The Public Health Department will be on hand to discuss vaccinations, the benefits of physical activity and nutrition, as well as the dangers of vaping. They will also offer a lactation space.
The Rice County Sheriff’s Office area will offer a first aid table and information about public safety. The department will once again be working with the Safe Roads Coalition on Thursday from 4-6pm, with information about impaired driving. Teenage fairgoers will be invited to play games in the Coalition booth while wearing goggles that simulate different levels of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream.
The Rice County Fair begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday. The buildings open at 11am and will close at 10pm daily.
For a full schedule of all events and information on Grandstand tickets visit ricecountyfair.net.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Fair manager Peter Van Sluis can be heard here
Helen Forsythe, Pan-Handlers Steel Drum Band set for Third Thursday Downtown
The second attempt at the second Third Thursday Downtown event is set for tomorrow night. Last month’s event was canceled due to rain, but with a weather report looking favorable for tomorrow evening, the plans for tomorrow night are pushing ahead. Third Thursdays Downtown are, of course, a collaboration between the Northfield Riverwalk Market Fair and the Friends of Downtown Northfield. The two organizations first partnered in the summer of 2023 on a series of events for locals that are also designed to attract people from outside of town so they can experience Downtown Northfield in all of its summer evening glory.
The events are a combination of Saturday morning Riverwalk Market Fair vendors and the Bridge Square Block Parties that used to run throughout the summer on Bridge Square. This year, the events have taken on a new facet, and put Bridge Square back to work by hosting the Shows on the Square, which tomorrow night will feature the local jeep club.
Tomorrow night’s event will be set up on Division Street between 4th and 5th streets. Some thirty Market Fair vendors will line the street, and the city’s showmobile will be set up on the 4th Street side of the block for live music performances by Helen Forsythe at 5:00 and The Pan-Handlers Steel Drum Band at 6:30.
Many of the Downtown Northfield retailers will extend their hours tonight as well, and attendees will be encouraged to explore beyond the block to seek out other great deals from their favorite shops.
Tomorrow night’s event is scheduled to run from 5-8pm.
Three Links celebrates its evolution over 125 years
Three Links Health Services will celebrate its 125 years in Northfield this week with a Community Celebration at Odd Fellows Park.
Three links began as an Odd Fellows Home, opening in 1899 on what had been the Nutting Farm, which remains the site of Three links Campus to this day. The organization operated Northfield’s first hospital, which for ten years was also Northfield’s only hospital. For the first 58 years of operations, the Odd Fellows home cared for both the elderly and orphans. However, that changed in 1957, when the orphanage was closed. Elderly care was the sole mission of the home until a Daycare center was opened in 1981 and was in operation until 1998. In 1989 the name was changed from the Odd Fellows Home to Three Links Care Center, and in 2023, Three Links merged with St. Francis Health Services to become Three Links Health Services.
Three Links operates several different properties offering assisted living, independent living, end of life care, memory care and more.
Amanda Gruber, Three Links’ Director of Life Enrichment said over the years, the organization has worked very hard to adapt with the times and the ever-changing needs of its residents.
“I really feel like we just continue to change as the needs change as well. Everybody is a little bit different, so we continue to adapt. When I first started back in 1995, we were listening to polka music. Now we’re listening to Led Zeppelin. We do it however the residents want things. This is their home, so we just make it as home like as possible.”
The Three Links 125th Anniversary Celebration is set for tomorrow afternoon from 4-6pm at Odd Fellows Park. Gruber said the family-oriented celebration will feature a bouncy house, face painting and balloon art for the kids. The celebration will feature live music by Nikki Walsh, and Gruber said, there will of course be food.
For more information on Three Links Health Services visit their website at threelinks.org.
KYMN Daily News 7/17/24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
