Highland County Fair set for Sept. 5-12
By Caitlin Forsha
The Highland County Press
The Highland County Fair, set for Sept. 5-12 at the Highland County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, will kick off next weekend with a full slate of entertainment, exhibitions and many other family-friendly attractions.
To start the evening events, the MX Motorcycle Races will be held Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Signup begins at noon. The event will include motocross and ATV races in 13 different classes.
Following the Dairy Goat Show, Antique & Field Stock Tractor Pull, Open Class Rabbit Show and a church service led by Good News Gathering, the Sunday, Sept. 6 schedule includes a Rodeo at 4 p.m.
This year’s rodeo will include internationally recognized rodeo clown Hollywood Harris, who has performed as a rodeo clown for over 30 years. Harris is known for his physical comedy and ability to protect the riders. (See http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=28038&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&S=1.)
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Sunday night will also include the Open Class Feeder Calf Show and COTPC Truck Pull, both set to begin at 7 p.m.
Senior citizens (62 and older) and veterans are admitted free on Monday, Sept. 7. The day’s events include the Dahlia Show, Culinary Arts Judging, Senior Citizens Line Dancing, 4-Wheeler ATV Races and the Open Class Barrow Show. On Monday night, the Pedal Tractor Pull will begin at 7 p.m., along with the Sheep Lead Contest. A veterans program will also be held at 5 p.m.
The always popular Demolition Derby will begin at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. Tuesday’s events will also include the Field Tractor Tug Pull at 9 a.m.
Wednesday’s exhibitions will include several Sheep Shows, along with the Horse & Pony Show. KOI Drag Racing, which includes 25 ATV classes and 19 truck classes, will begin at 7 p.m.
Fair visitors will be treated to two gospel performances on Thursday, Sept. 10. Soul’d Out will appear in concert at 7 p.m. Founded by Matt Rankin of Georgetown, Ohio, Soul’d Out is a Southern Gospel quartet founded to “evangelize God's word through song,” according to their website, www.souldoutquartet.com. The group tours across the country as performers and as a ministry team.
Joseph Habedank returns to the fair at 8 p.m. on Thursday, following a popular performance in 2014. According to Habedank's website (www.josephhabedank.com), he is "a multi award-winning and Dove Award nominated singer/songwriter" whose songs have been recorded by a number of Christian artists. In addition to his songwriting, Habedank was a member of award-winning Southern Gospel group The Perrys for 10 years and is now a solo vocalist. His latest album, “Take Time To Be Holy,” is a collection of classic hymns.
Two other concerts will be held on Friday, Sept. 11. Ma Crow & The Lady Slippers will perform at 5:30 p.m. The all-female bluegrass band is based in Cincinnati, according to their website, macrowmusic.com. Ma Crow & The Lady Slippers has released two albums, “Memory of a Mountain” and “Wayward Daughter,” which earned rave reviews from local media as well as “Bluegrass Unlimited.”
Filo Beddoe will close out the fair’s concerts on Friday night at 8 p.m. The popular local band performs a mixture of rock and blues music, “covering everything from Creedence to Crowes, Allman Brothers to ZZ Top and some homegrown originals too,” according to the band’s ReverbNation page.
In addition to live music, Friday night will also include the Open Western Horse Show and the Super Stock & Pro Stock Speed Pull, Single Engine Modified Speed Pull and Semi Pull with Rules.
To close the Highland County Fair, the Barnyard Olympics will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. The day will include the Open Class Beef Cattle Show, Open Horse Speed & Fun Shows and Exhibition Barrels and Exhibition Poles. On Saturday night, the Limited Light Pro Stock Pull, Modified Tractor Speed Pull, Modified & Open 2 & 4 Wheel Drive Truck Pull and Open Semi Pull will begin at 6:30 p.m.