WARSAW — Despite temperatures pushing near-90 degrees on Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Community Fair enjoyed a strong turnout with an overflow crowd attending the Xtreme Monster Madness show.

Fair-goers continued to stream into the main entrance and the grandstand at around 8:30 p.m. and the parking lot on both sides of the entrance appeared to be nearly full.

With the opening of midway rides on Tuesday, it also represented the first big night for beer and wine sales operated by the fair board. 

County fairs in Indiana are now allowed to sell beer and wine under state law, and the local fair board jumped at the chance to begin operating its own sales.

[caption id="attachment_133498" align="alignright" width="450"] Beer sales at a trailer located near the grandstand entrance were strong before and during the monster truck show. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Kosciusko County appears to be the only county fair in the area that has opted to offer alcohol sales this summer since the law took effect July 1.

Five dollar beverages were sold from a trailer in a somewhat discreetly operated spot near the grandstand entrance. Beer taps were on the back side of a trailer and positioned to be out of sight.

Visitors to the fair can now take beverages onto the midway and into the grandstand, but nightly sales don't begin until 6 p.m. 

Fair Board Treasurer Sheal Dirck said sales were slow on Monday, but much stronger on Tuesday.

The fair board has sold beer previously at other events on the fairgrounds, and Dirck said that helped them prepare for the new opportunity. 

“This is nothing new for us. We do this for other events, so it's just new for being on the Midway," Dirck said.

News Now Warsaw talked with several fair-goers who stood in line for a beer and were pleased with the change — especially on a warm night.

Christine England, of Warsaw, grabbed a beer before heading to the monster truck show.

She saw the new policy as a pleasant surprise.

“Look at that — does that say all beer five dollars?' I said, referring to a sign on the beer trailer.

"Hot diggity damn, we're having a beer tonight!” England said.

Dirck said they made the change without adding staff or security beyond what already existed.

He said he was not aware of any complaints or problems and predicted sales will remain strong Wednesday night for the second of two monster truck shows.

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By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Fair moves into high gear today in several ways.

The 4-H barns will once again be buzzing with activities, a grizzly bear encounter opens Tuesday and rides on the midway will kick off at 2 p.m.

It's also the first of two nights of Xtreme Monster Madness, which has become the fair’s marquee event in terms of popularity.

The monster truck shows, which have been organized by Warsaw area resident Darrell Hicks for the past 10 years, always promise a big crowd in the grandstand.

Hicks talked about how the show has evolved Monday during a promotional event highlighting two of the monster trucks at Monteith Tire in Warsaw.

“This has grown over the years, starting out with four trucks back ten years ago. So now, (tonight) and Wednesday, we've got nine trucks coming. We've got a 'ride truck' there, you can take rides in,” Hicks said.

"It's exploded out into a major show," he added.

Cost of the truck show is included with fair admission, which has added to the popularity.

Some monster truck shows elsewhere charge upward of $25 for tickets on top of fair admission.

Hicks said he appreciates all the help the fair board provides to support the truck show, and offered a glimpse into what fans can expect Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We've got some surprises coming up the next couple of nights. Some of the jumps are going to be a little different than what you've seen in the past. But, again, we've got some top-notch drivers that aren't afraid. If they see one driver do something, they're going to try to outdo the other one,” Hicks said.

Pit parties on Tuesday and Wednesday start at 6 p.m. and the shows on begin at 7.

[caption id="attachment_133464" align="aligncenter" width="962"] A specialized monster truck that seats 11 will be available during the pit party Tuesday and Wednesday for rides for a $15 fee. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community fair formally kicks off Sunday with its annual parade starting at 2 p.m. on the west side of Warsaw.

The parade will head east on Center Street to Bronson Street where it wool head into the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds.

The parade line up starts at 12:30 pm

The fair issued a statement that it “welcomes the entire community for a week filled with fun, entertainment, and memorable moments.”

This year’s fair theme is  “Stars & Stripes and Carnival Nights.”

The fair board earlier this month confirmed they plan to sell been and wine during fair week. 

Aside from a link to a South Bend TV station story on its Facebook page, the board has not posted any policies and details about specific hours or where the beverages would be sold.

Check out the fair's Facebook page here.

According to the fair page website:

• Hours: Gates open at 5 p.m. Monday and at 9 a.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.
• Admission: Ages 9 and Under, Free; $8.00 for adults and $3 for seniors. A weekly pass is $40
• POP Wristbands (available at Kiosk) are  $32.00

Carnival rides in the midway begin Tuesday.

Also, officials announced its tiger display has been replaced with a grizzly bear encounter.

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WARSAW — Visitors to the upcoming Kosciusko County Community Fair will be able to buy beer and wine.

Fair Board President Kevin Harris confirmed the plan Friday.

The move comes as a result of a new state law that goes into effect July 1, allowing county fair boards the opportunity to sell alcohol or allow vendors to do so.

It specifically allows county fairs to apply for fee-free permits to sell alcohol.

Harris said they'll have a beer tent open in the evening hours and that individual drinks — beer or wine — can be consumed on much of the fairgrounds, much like the state-sanctioned DORA policy that allows cities and towns to establish districts for the consumption of adult beverages.

Harris said they do not plan to allow vendors to sell alcohol on the fairgrounds.

He said finances and the need to generate more revenue are the driving forces behind the change in policy.

The fair board has struggled with finances for years, but Harris said the circumstances in recent years involving insurance and utilities have made it worse.

“The increasing cost of utilities is just killing us,” he said.

Harris said they've sold beer at previous events, including during the fair and at the recent Freedom Fest.

He said in the past, they've made sure sales were not happening during youth-oriented 4-H events.

He said they did not seek out public input on the issue and understands it might be viewed as controversial by some.

“I don’t believe it’s gonna be 100 percent accepted by everybody … I’m sure that since our fair is a family event, there’s probably going to be some people that don’t like it, but once again, we’re just trying to raise money to keep our fair going.”

He said he does not anticipate heavy drinking as a result.

"Some people just enjoy having a beer or having a wine cooler with their meal or with the event they’re attending, and we’re just providing that service for them.”

The need for money goes beyond just financing fair week, he said.

“It’s not just the fair. It’s to keep the fairgrounds in operation," he said. "It’s just a financial struggle.”

Details on alcohol sales at the fairgrounds have not been released to the public, and Harris said they'll likely issue a news release soon.

The fair begins July 12.

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WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Fair knows a good thing when they see it and this year they’re doubling down on the success in recent years with Monster Trucks shows.

[caption id="attachment_114213" align="alignright" width="380"] A view of the 2023 Monster Truck show at the Kosciuko County Fairgrounds. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Tonight is the first of two consecutive monster truck shows in the grandstand. The next one is Wednesday night.

Darrell Hicks, a longtime employee of Montieth Tire, organized the first monster truck show nine years ago to celebrate Monthieth’s 50th year in business and the monster truck tradition caught on quickly.

This year, he's lined up 20 sponsors to support the Extreme Monster Truck Madness.

"It's grown each year. We're up to eight trucks this year, and we don't just get weekend warrior trucks. We get a lot of nationally known trucks, a lot of high end trucks that run in the big circuit," Hicks said.

The annual show has become the biggest draw every year for the fair and has seen an overflow crowd in the grandstand in reent years.

Hicks was asked what drives the popularity of the show.

"I think it's a local community coming together, just like all this equipment sitting out here right now — that's all sponsorships," he said.

Each year, as always, they've changed things up and participants bring a high level of competition, he said.

The talent and price of admission, he said, make the event a superior option compared to anything you'll find at other county fairs.

"This cost is only $8 to get in the gate, and the grandstand is free," Hicks said. "You're not going to see a show like that anywhere," he said.

Hicks said he'll begin working on next year's program next week.

"I just enjoy it. It's something for me to give back to the community, help the fair out. Here again, we couldn't do it without our sponsors," he said.

The pit party, a popular chance for fans to see the trucks and drivers up close on the track, starts at 6 p.m.

Both shows this week begin at 7 p.m.

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WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Fair parade is Sunday, July 6.

Here are a few details ahead of the event.

The post Details for July 6 Kosciusko Fair Parade announced appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Plans for two pageants that have traditionally been part of the Kosciusko County Community Fair have been cancelled for lack of participation.

The decision impacts the Fair Queen and teen pageants.

Jeanette Wood, the fairgrounds' general manager, provided an update after a message was posted on the Community Fair's Facebook page.

Wood said Wednesday that they have seen a decrease in recent years in participation, but realized the problem was bigger this year.

Officials realized there was a problem a week ago at the scheduled call-out meeting for potential contestants.

"We had one girl come out to the call-out meeting," Wood said. "The pageant was scheduled for June 14 ... there just wasn't a whole lot of time to get everything done that needed to be done."

"We just decided to rebuild, come back next year, stronger, fresher and hopefully have more participation," Wood said.

She said financial support for scholarships awarded to the winners was not an issue.

The decision was initially announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that blamed it on unforeseen circumstances.

On Wednesday afternoon, a new post clarified the issue. It reads:

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WARSAW --  It was a dream come true for Kosciusko County Surveyor Mike Kissinger on Tuesday at the Kosciusko County Community Fair. 

Kissinger has always had a fascination with carnivals and vendors which are always a big part of county fairs. 

And with the help of County Recorder Deb Wright, his dream of working as a carnival worker came true. 

Wright arranged to have Kissinger fulfill a lifelong bucket list dream of working at the fair.  

For a short time on Tuesday night, Kissinger found himself in one of the booths where spectators have a chance to win prizes by shooting hoops.

Friends said he was thrilled at the notion and enjoyed the opportunity.

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WARSAW --  The 106th Annual Kosciusko County Community Fair will be “out of this world” during the multi-day event.

The fair is July 10-15 at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds. Parking is free and admission is from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Adults, 10 to 64 years old, are $8. Seniors 65 and older are $3, and children 9 and younger are free. Weekly admission for adults is $40.

The fair kicks off on Sunday, July 9 with the annual parade.

Fair lunch passes (yellow ticket only) are sold at the main gate C and are available weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Park at the main gate C. Pick up the pass at the main gate ticket booth with a $5 deposit. Enter at the main gate. Return to the main gate by 2 p.m. for a full refund with a yellow ticket only.

Here are the list of events for the fair, as listed in the information provided by the fair. All events are subject to change and more information can be found online at kcfair.com.

Fair Shows/Events

Sunday, July 9

• 8:30 a.m. Harrison Center Church service, event center

• 3 p.m. Parade line up, Warsaw Police Department parking lot

• 3:30 p.m. 21st annual parade starts at Center Street to the main entrance to the fairgrounds

• 6 p.m. Opening ceremonies for the 106th Kosciusko County Community Fair, horse arena

• 6:30 p.m. gospel sing/evening services, event center

Monday, July 10

• Opening day of the 106th Annual Kosciusko County Fair

• 1 p.m. Admission gates open

• 1 p.m. Commercial tent opens

• 3 and 7 p.m. sea lion splash, commercial tent area

• 5:30 p.m. children’s pageants (Miss & Mister Toddler), event center

• 6 p.m. children’s pageant (Miss & Mister Preschool), event center

• 6 p.m. midway opens

• 6:45 p.m. children’s pageants (Little Miss & Mister), event center

• 7:30 p.m. Broken Horn IPRA World Champion Rodeo, grandstands

• 7:45 p.m. children’s pageants (Jr. Miss & Mister), event center

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes

Tuesday, July 11

• Kiddies Day/4-H Leader Appreciation Day

• 9-10 a.m. kids free breakfast, event center

• 9 a.m. commercial tent opens

• 10 a.m. Lake City Bank Coin Hunt, event center

• 10:30 a.m. Baby Dinos Meet and Greet, event center

• 11 a.m. Fun with the Queen and Court, event center

• 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. sea lion splash, commercial tent area

• Noon Deb Collier’s School of Dance, event center

• 2 and 3:30 p.m. Silly Safari’s, event center

• 2 p.m. carnival rides open Kiddies Day Special 1 ticket ride day, Midway

• 4 p.m. pie judging, event center

• 5 p.m. Kiddies Pedal Pull Registration ages 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, top three in each age group will receive a prize, main drive by the fair office

• 5 to 7:30 p.m. tag art, event center

• 6 to 7 p.m. monster mash pit party, track area

• 7:30 pp.m. Monster Truck Mash, grandstand

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes

Wednesday, July 12

• Senior Day, Seniors 65 and Better, $1 admission

• Community Day

• 8 a.m. Miller’s Senior Living welcomes seniors, event center

• 8 a.m. free senior breakfast, event center

• 9 a.m. gates open

• 9 a.m. singing performance, event center

• 9 a.m. senior programs and entertainment, event center

• 9 a.m. senior programs and entertainment, event center

• 9 a.m. free blood pressure checks, event center

• 9 a.m. commercial tent opens

• 10 a.m. senior bingo and euchre, event center

• Noon performance, event center

• 1 p.m. free senior ice cream social, event center

• 2 and 7 p.m. senior lion splash, commercial tent area

• 3 p.m. carnival rides open, midway

• 4 p.m. pie baking judging, fair office

• 7 to 7:30 p.m. jazz ensemble, event center

• 7:30 p.m. KOI Drags, grandstand

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes

Thursday, July 13

• Farmer’s Day/Trucker’s Day

• United States Military Day

• 9 a.m. gates open

• 10:30 a.m. Baby Dino Meet and Greet, event center

• 1 p.m. commercial tent opens

• 1, 4 and 6:30 p.m. sea lion splash, commercial tent area

• 3 p.m. carnival rides open, midway

• 5 to 7 p.m. tag art, event center

• 6 p.m. Kosciusko’s Got Talent (all ages), event center

• 7:30 p.m. Bogg’s Boyz Mud Bogs, Grandstand

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes

Friday, July 14

• Sponsorship and Media Day

• 9 a.m. gates open

• 1 p.m. commercial tent opens

• Noon to 1 p.m. Lions Karate of North Webster, event center

• 1 to 4 p.m. hot dog eating contest registration, event center

• 3 p.m. carnival rides open, midway

• 3:30 and 7 p.m. sea lion splash, commercial tent area

• 5 p.m. hot dog eating contest, event center

• 5 to 7 p.m. Paw Patrol Marshall, Chase and Sky Meet and Greet, event center

• 7 to 10 p.m. Karaoke with Chris Cage

• 7:30 p.m. Demolition Derby, Grandstand

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes

Saturday, July 15

• 8 a.m. Show and Shine registration, point area

• 1 p.m. gates open

• 1 p.m. carnival rides open

• 1 p.m. commercial tent opens

• 1 p.m. sea lion splash, commercial tent are

• 2 p.m. Show and Shine judging starts, channel area

• 3 to 5 p.m. spiderman and elsa meet and greet, event center

• 5 to 7 p.m., sea lion splash, commercial tent area

• 7:30 p.m. truck and tractor pulls, grandstand

• 8 p.m. commercial tent closes, commercial tent area

Extension Homemakers Shows/Events

Sunday, July 9

• 1 to 9 p.m., Home and Family Arts building

Monday, July 10

• Noon to 9 p.m., Home and Family Arts Building, open

Tuesday, July 11

• 11:30 a.m. Department Best of Show and Champion Pictures for Media, open

• Noon to 9 p.m. Home and Family Building, open

Wednesday, July 12

• 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Home and Family Arts Building, open

Thursday, July 13

• Noon to 9 p.m. Home and Family Arts building, open

Friday, July 14

• Noon to 9 p.m. Home and Family Arts Building, open

• 5 p.m. winners announced for silent basket auction, HFA building

• 5 p.m, drawing for quilt and other items, HFA building

Saturday, July 15

• 10 a.m. to noon, release of exhibits

Antique Tractor/Village Shows/Events

Sunday, July 9

• After parade homemade icecream, antique area

• After parade kettle corn, antique area

Monday, July 10

• 4 to 8 p.m. tractor driving experience, antique area

• 7 p.m. Demonstration: Old Time Sawmill, antique area

Tuesday, July 11

• 5 p.m. kettle corn, antique area

• 5:30 p.m. sweet corn, antique area

• 5:30 p.m. homemade ice cream, antique area

• Noon to 8 p.m. tractor driving experience, antique area

Wednesday, July 12

• 5:30 p.m. Cast Iron Chill, antique area

• 4 to 8 p.m. tractor driving experience, antique area

• 7 p.m. Demonstration: Old Time Sawmill, antique area

Thursday, July 13

• 5:30 p.m. kettle corn, antique area

• 5:30 p.m. over the fire ham and beans, antique area

• 5:30 p.m. homemade ice cream, antique area

• 4 to 8 p.m., tractor driving experience, antique area

Friday, July 14

• 4 to 8 p.m. tractor driving experience, antique area.

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