16
AUGUST 4�11, 2021
BEHIND THE SCENES
FROM THE
COVER
Ready to ‘roar’ again!
Submitted
John Michael Montgomery appears
in concert Friday, Aug. 13, at the
Grant County Fair in John Day.
By Cheryl Hoefl er
GO! Magazine
J
OHN DAY — Following last
year’s deafening silence
from the Grant County Fair’s ab-
sence due to COVID-19, the fair
board, staff and volunteers are
amped to present the popular an-
nual event once again — with the
appropriately pumped-up theme:
“Have a Roaring Good Time!”
The 112th Grant County
Fair, Wednesday-Saturday, Aug.
11-14, promises a four-day
extravaganza of all the traditional
fair favorites — entertainment,
exhibits, parades, games, music,
and of course plenty of food and
livestock.
Heading up the entertain-
ment will be award-winning
country singer John Michael
Montgomery in concert at
8:15 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13. A
Kentucky native, Montgomery
kicked off his successful career
in 1992 with a debut album that
featured his fi rst hit, “Life’s a
Dance.” More chart-topping hits
followed year after year.
Preceding Montgomery,
musician Colt Ford will perform
at 7 p.m. Ford, from Georgia, is a
multi-talented singer, songwrit-
er and rapper who has teamed
up with artists from a variety of
genres. His recent co-writing
collaborations gave fans the #1
hits “Dirt Road Anthem” with Ja-
son Aldean and “Country Must
be Country Wide” with Brantley
Gilbert.
Jessie Leigh, on a return visit
to Grant County, will open and
close the evening of live music.
Gates at the John Day Auto
Parts Outdoor Arena open at
6 p.m. for the Friday night con-
cert. Tickets are $45, or $15 for
ages 10 and younger. Tickets
are for sale online only at grant-
countyoregon.net.
Performing throughout the
four-day fair are comedy hypno-
tist Justin James and the Blue
Mountain Old Time Fiddlers.
On Saturday, freestyle
bullfi ghting featuring Hamsher
Fighting Bulls will thrill specta-
tors beginning at 8 p.m. at the
outdoor arena. Admission is by
donation and seating is limited.
Grand marshal for this year’s
fair is Bonnie Nance, lifelong
rancher and Prairie City native.
Nance served as a fair court
princess and fair queen in the
1950s. She will reign during the
fair parade at 11 a.m. Satur-
day. The route runs from Grant
Union High School to Timber’s
Bistro at the east end of John
Day.
Not to be left out, kids get
their own parade at 10 a.m.
Friday in John Day.
Other Saturday fair highlights
include the rancher’s breakfast
from 7-9 a.m., pie contest at
2 p.m. and 4-H/FFA livestock
auction at 4 p.m.
A Family Fun Center will
operate all four days featuring a
variety of games and activities
for fairgoers of all ages. Hours
are 4-9 p.m. Wednesday and
Thursday, 2-10 p.m. on Friday,
and 1-10 p.m. Saturday. Presale
wristbands for the fun center
are $10.
The fair is seeking young
women to represent Grant
County during the 2022 fair and
rodeo season. Those interested
are encouraged to contact the
fair offi ce.
“This is a great opportunity
to get out and meet a lot of
great people while promot-
ing Grant County,” said Donna
Palmer, fair board chair.
Palmer added kudos to fair
manager Mindy Winegar and
maintenance head Dusty Wil-
liams for making this year’s fair
a reality.
“On behalf of the fair board,
we would like to thank Mindy
Winegar and Dusty Williams
for all their hard work organiz-
ing the 112th Grant County
Fair and for their amazing job
maintaining the Grant County
Fairgrounds,” Palmer said.
Admission to the fair is free
on Wednesday. All other days,
admission is $5 for ages 13
and old, $3 for seniors and kids
ages 6-12, and free for kids 5
and younger. A week-long pass
is $15.
UPGRADE
215 Elm Street La Grande • (541) 963-5440
northwestfurnitureandmattress.com
For more information, call the
fair offi ce at 541-575-1900 or
visit grantcountyoregon.net.
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