Whiteside County Fair Secretary Mary Beth Dombroski announced that the fair offices will be open for business beginning for the entire week prior to the 144th annual Whiteside County Fair. The fair officially starts at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 12, 2014, with the Western Horse Show at the “Gold Star F. S. Arena” in the infield.
The office of the secretary and treasurer are located in the building near the grandstand at the Whiteside County Fairgrounds, in Morrison, IL. They will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday, August 4, through Friday, August 8. Saturday, August 9, hours will be 8:00 a.m. to noon. The office will be open on Monday, August 12, and remain open through the end of the fair Saturday, August 16.
During this time they will be accepting hand-delivered entries, processing those received by mail, and selling reserved grandstand seating, season tickets, and Mega Passes.
MEGA PASS will let you ride any of the Wilson Family Rides when the Carnival is open during the fair. Discounted passes can be purchased for $45 Monday, August 4, through Monday, August 11. From Tuesday, August 12, through Saturday, August 16, the price will be $50.
Reserve grandstand seating for Saturday night’s Demolition Derbies will go on sale Monday, August 4, at 8:00 a.m. in the Secretary’s Office. Reserved seating is $5 per person and is sold on a first-come, first-served basis with a limited number of seats available. Saving seats by using blankets, etc., for general seating is not allowed. Any items used for saving seats will be removed by the fair staff.
There are no entry fees for exhibits in the Departments of Agriculture, Floriculture, Horticulture, Textiles, Culinary, and Hobbies. However, adult exhibitors must purchase an $18 season membership ticket; junior exhibitors that are under 11 years of age pay $3 for a season ticket to enter in junior departments. That ticket allows the exhibitor to enter items in any of the departments listed above and provides unlimited admission to the fairgrounds throughout the five-day run.
Livestock exhibitors are required to pay exhibit fees and should consult this year’s fair book or website for details.
All exhibitors are urged to refer to the fair premium book or website for details on the requirements to enter the various competitions, which this year offer over $119,000 in premiums, purses, and prizes. The fair books are available at banks throughout Whiteside County and will be available the week before the fair at the fair office. Premium book information can also be downloaded from the fair website at www.whitesidecountyfair.org in the premium section.
Entries must be done online or in writing, with the applicable fees submitted, by the appropriate deadlines as listed in the fair book.
The office will accommodate those wishing to buy season membership tickets, which allows the ticket-holder unlimited admission to the fair. An adult season membership ticket costs $18 each, while a child’s weekly pass is $3. Tickets may be purchased at the gate during the fair. Single adult daily admission for the fair is $7 for those 12 years and older, and $1 for children ages 6 through 11. Children five and under are free.
Bicycle Give-Aways will take place at the fair again. Times will be posted in the Blue Building, where you sign up for the drawing. Only ONE registration slip is allowed per day. Submitting the same name more than once disqualifies the child. Winners are announced outside the Secretary’s office.
All the information you need to get ready for the Fair is at your fingertips at www.whitesidecountyfair.org. Written inquires can be directed to the Whiteside County Fair, P.O. Box 88, Morrison, IL 61270.