Fair Secretary Mary Beth Dombroski announced that the Secretary’s Office will be open the week before the Fair, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday, August 6, through Friday, August 10, 2018. Saturday, August 11, hours will be 8:00 a.m. to noon. During this time, personnel will be accepting hand-delivered entries; processing entries received by mail; selling reserved grandstand seating for the Demo Derby, Season Tickets, and Mega Passes. The Office is near the grandstand, at the Whiteside County Fairgrounds, in Morrison, IL.
The Fair officially starts at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 14, with the Western Horse Show at the “River Valley Coop Arena” in the infield.
All the information you need to get ready for the Fair is at your fingertips on our website at www.whitesidecountyFair.org. Written inquires can be directed to the Whiteside County Fair, P.O. Box 88, Morrison, IL 61270.
A Mega Pass can be purchased at a discount for $50, Monday, August 6, through Monday, August 13. Once the Fair starts, Mega Pass prices increase to $60 and will need to be purchased from the Carnival. The wristband will let patrons ride any of the Wilson Family Rides when the Carnival is open during the Fair.
Reserve grandstand seating for Saturday night’s Demolition Derby will go on sale for $8.00 per person on Monday, August 6, at 8:00 a.m., in the Secretary’s Office. The Demo Derby is the only show that has Reserved Seating available 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 the $20 Season Membership ticket. Junior exhibitors, who are 11 years of age and under, must purchase the $5 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 Fair’s five-day run.
Livestock exhibitors are required to pay exhibit fees and should consult the website for details.
This year the Fair offers over $191,000 in premiums, purses, and prizes. All exhibitors are urged to refer to the website for details on the requirements to enter the various competitions. Entry forms are available at banks throughout Whiteside County, and they will be available the week before the Fair at the Fair Office. Entries information can also be downloaded from the Fair website 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 on the website.
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 $20 each, while a child’s weekly pass is $5. Tickets for both children and adults may also be purchased at the gate during the Fair. Single adult daily admission for the Fair is $8 for those 12 years and older and $2 for children ages six-through-11. Children five and under are free.