Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote this feature,
The Whiteside County Fair located in Morrison, IL, is scheduled to open its gates on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, to celebrate its sesquicentennial (150th) edition. The venue is credited with creating many memories for all ages that enter the grounds.
Initially opened in 1872 as the Whiteside County Central Agricultural Society, common usage has shortened the name to Whiteside County Fair. “Its purpose was to promote all the industrial pursuits of the county, especially the agricultural, horticultural, floricultural, and mechanical interests and also the fine arts and domestic manufactures.”
The years have offered changes and adjustments in order to maintain a touch of the present, but the attention to agriculture has not been lost. Animals, equipment, and social mingling remain the main attraction for most visitors. Regardless of one’s age, a memory of the Whiteside County Fair can be recalled.
This year’s agenda of activities will not disappoint anyone who is making the journey to Morrison. Daily activities offer livestock judging, arts and crafts competition, heavy horse competition, harness racing, and small animal judging, to mention a few of the daytime attractions.
Evening attractions read like a history highlight list of crowd favorites over the decades. Bull riding opens Tuesday evening; crowd musical favorite “Home Free” will excite the numbers on Wednesday; thrilling US FMX Freestyle Motocross riders take the track on Thursday; the unmatched Tractor Pull is scheduled for Friday; the always exciting Demo Derby closes out the week and a century-and-a-half of the Whiteside County Fairs.
The facilities housing these great fair activities range from a historic 14-sided “polygon” barn erected in 1919, to a new, 3000+ seating capacity grandstand, serving only its second Whiteside County Fair in 2021.
The Whiteside County Fair is the only remaining County fair. It has survived the years because of the true love the attendees have for agriculture and the citizens from throughout Whiteside County.
Happy 150th Birthday to the Whiteside County Fair!
