DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Another county fair kicked off today in Danville. Temperatures weren’t as bad as we’ve felt in the last week. That was good news for fair goers, but it was still hot for livestock.
It’s an important job during the summer season, especially in the heat Central Illinois has been dealing with this month. Sophie Brown, with the Vermilion County Fair says, “less than 2% of people are actively involved in agriculture and yet is the biggest part of our economy.”
A lot of people involved in agriculture end up at places like this the county fair. It’s not just carnival rides and good food, families like the Brown’s are here to educate people about keeping livestock healthy, “we have fans on them, we mist them, we give them baths in the wash rack, anything like that to keep their temperature down and obviously always provide lots of fresh cold water.” The heat on the first day of the the Vermilion County fair in Danville wasn’t record breaking, but it was still hot.
That didn’t stop people from coming out, something organizer Sue Headley was excited about, “I like to see people smile and be happy and not sad.” Across the fairgrounds from the livestock barns, pageant participants were getting ready for their moment on stage.
Deanna Morton, with the Vermilion County Fair Board says, “it shows girl learn, they grow, get excited about agriculture and helps these girls build relationships with other county fair queens.”
Building relationships is something that keeps the Brown’s coming back year after year. Brown also says, “the community aspect of it. The part at least to me is the community, the relationships that you build within your community and within your county.”
If you interested in going, the fair runs through Sunday and tickets cost you $7 to get in the gate.
For more information, visit https://www.vermilioncountyfair.org/.