By Laura Bilson
For HDMedia
Eleanor — It’s not July in the Kanawha Valley unless the Putnam County Fair comes around again.
The annual weeklong event in Eleanor kicked off July 10 and will run through this Saturday night.
For many, the fair runs in the family.
Monday evening, Red House resident Jennifer Estep and her two daughters visited the sheep enclosures.
Estep’s oldest daughter, Courtney Bradshaw, 18, raised a sheep in her school’s 4H program six years ago. Letting the sheep nibble on their shorts and hands brought back great memories.
“Makes me think of my old sheep,” Bradshaw said. “Once they get used to you, they follow you everywhere.”
“We miss it,” Estep said.
The carnival rides open at 6:30 p.m. nightly. Look for the Pirates of the Colombian Caribbean aerial high-wire show in the midway each evening, as well.
Youth competitions for various farm animal classes continue through Thursday with the annual livestock auction on Friday, all in the show/sale arena. Other events that change daily, especially children’s events south of the Exhibit Hall, will be held each evening throughout the fairgrounds.
Putnam County Fair
WHEN: Gates open at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 2 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. Saturday
WHERE: 1019 Lower Park Road, Eleanor
TICKETS: $16.79 daily; $78.58 season pass; kids under 2 are free
INFO: putnamcountyfairwv.com
Nightly headline entertainment
Here is the headline entertainment for the rest of the week. All are in the Motorized Events Complex, unless otherwise noted:
- Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.: Bulls, Broncs and Barrels Rodeo
- Wednesday, 6 p.m.: Demolition Derby
- Thursday, 6 p.m.: Yates Family Gospel Night in the Entertainment Tent.
- Friday, 8 p.m.: Motocross; Putnam/Kanawha-based acoustic band The Weekend Warriors with special guest Paityn, an 11-year-old country music singer and rising sixth-grader at Poca Middle School. Both music performances will be in the Amphitheater.
- Saturday: 1 p.m., 4-Wheel Drive Mud Run; Nashville-based country music singer Drew Baldridge in the Amphitheater; 10 p.m., fireworks.
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