Thousands of people turned out for the 2021 Jefferson County Fair, which went off without missing a beat after a year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Chris Thebeau, the fair chairman.
He said attendance at the fair, held Thursday, July 22, through Sunday, July 25, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, compared to previous years.
“I think it went great,” Thebeau said. “I would say we had almost 10,000 attend Saturday night and 4,000 to 5,000 the other nights. That comes out to almost 25,000 total, which stacks up pretty good (to previous fairs). Absolutely, it was a good return for the fair.”
Attendees got to hear live music, watch motocross and ATV racing and get an in-person look at the famed Budweiser Clydesdales.
“People were excited to get back out,” Thebeau said. “People were clamoring to get back out. The concerts were well attended. People came out for the moto sports.
“Having the Clydesdales here – that was fantastic. They were set up by the arena. They’re majestic and beautiful. They were well received. They were paraded around the arena.”
The event also featured the Jefferson County Show-Me Your Best Open Exhibits and the 4-H Fair, as well as carnival rides.
Thebeau thanked all who contributed to making the event a success.
“I really appreciate the support from the community for coming out,” he said. “I’d like to make a special mention to all the surrounding businesses that donated to us for the fair, the sponsors and the businesses.”
He said he also wanted to acknowledge the volunteers who helped run the fair.