Fair Time

Randolph Community Fair will feature several new activities

RANDOLPH — Pickleball, clouds of color and foam-filled fun are coming to the Randolph Community Fair for the first time this summer.

Held from July 11 through 13, the fair is sure to get the community excited.

The Lied Randolph Public Library Family Fun Night will kick off the celebration on Friday, July 11.

Held in the city park, the Horn T Petting Zoo, along with walking tacos and taverns, will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. The petting zoo will feature a Llama, an alpaca and exotic cattle.

The park fun night will also be the host for a foam party beginning at 6:30 p.m. According to the fair’s Facebook post, the foam party is available for all ages and is expected to last one hour.

“A foam party is when a special machine fills a designated area with lots of bubbly foam. People dance, play, and have fun in the foam, while music is playing,” said the Facebook post.

Saturday will mark the second day of the fair and begins with the livestock show at 8:30 a.m. in the city park.

The Cardinal Kids Learning Center Color Run will begin at 9 a.m. at the learning center and end in the park. All ages and strollers are welcome, and it’s recommended to wear a white T-shirt, though there are routes without color.

Also new to the celebration, the pickleball tournament will begin at 10 a.m. in the city park. Teams must register in advance for $15 per team. Teams must be 14 or older and may be mixed genders. The event is sponsored by St. Jane Frances CYO, and there is a limited amount of equipment available upon request.

Saturday evening offers free admission to the city pool from 1-5 p.m., as well as a street dance downtown. The dance will run from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with free admission, and music will be provided via a DJ.

“He does a great job of providing a variety of music,” said Owens. “He’s more than happy to take requests.”

The Fireman’s Omelet breakfast starts Sunday at 8 a.m. until noon at the city auditorium.

The FFA booster car and tractor show will be held downtown, with registration starting at 8 a.m. and awards at 3:30 p.m. A parade will follow to showcase all antique tractors, cars and floats.

St. John’s Lutheran Church will host the Music Therapists with Christian Therapy beginning at 1 p.m. The band will perform country gospel and oldies music.

The fair will end in the city park on Sunday evening, starting at 5 p.m., with the Knights of Columbus Kids Pedal Tractor Pull for ages 4-13.

Sponsored by First State Bank, the community BBQ will begin at 6 p.m., serving beef and pork. During the BBQ, the community awards will be presented, and funnel cakes will be available.

To finish out the festivities, the community will be encouraged to show their support for 4-year-old Lee Drobny. The son of Charlie and Hudsen Drobny and grandson of Assistant Fire Chief Chad and Brandy Winkelbauer, is in an ongoing fight against a cancerous tumor, diagnosed as a Wilms tumor on the family’s GoFundMe page. There will be an auction to shave a fireman’s head, and all proceeds will go to the family. According to their page, the family has received $9,785 to help lessen the financial burden.

Community support for the fair and its events is the only way to ensure the event’s success, said organizers Sandy Owens and Christie Larson.

“One thing is for sure, we couldn’t put on the fair without support from our community,” said Larson. “We have a lot of different groups that do events to make the fair well-rounded.”

With numerous free events, family-friendly fun should be expected every day of the fair.

“Most of the events are free, and we encourage everyone to come to the fair and have fun,” said Owens.