The 2023 Tri-Rivers Fair is scheduled for August 8-12, with opportunities for local folks to showcase their efforts, motivated by the fair theme, “Sew It, Grow It, Show It.” Opportunities extend beyond clothing and garden produce.
“Where the rodeo brought participants in from other communities, we are transitioning to events that involve more local people,” Carl Garten, Tri-Rivers Fair Board President, said. “Those are the kind of things we are hoping in the future to do more, and get more local people involved in the fair.”
Local people are encouraged to not only come out and watch the 2023 Tri-Rivers Fair parade at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, but consider being in the parade. Entries after July 15 will require a $30 participation fee for businesses and a $20 fee for non-profits. Entries postmarked between July 15 and July 25, will receive check-in instructions and directions by email on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Entries after July 25 are asked to bring registration information and fees to the check-in location at the Salina Fire Department, 222 West Elm. Late entries will receive directions when the register the day of the parade.
Entertainment options during the 2023 Tri-Rivers Fair include more local people.
“The entertainment options involve the local community,” Garten said. “The demolition derby is an opportunity to smash their cars up, the cornhole tournament involves local teams participating, the art show is local artists and WolfFest involves local folks and their dogs. It’s not just for adults, or 4-H youth, but there are opportunities for general you. Anybody can participate in the Tri-Rivers Fair.”
According to Garten, the Tri-Rivers Fair is an opportunity for 4-H youth to exhibit the work they have accomplished over the past year, and it is an opportunity for the general public to showcase what they are doing in their life. Interested fair-goers can find out more online at www.tririversfair.org or on Facebook at Tri-Rivers Fair.
EXHIBITS: Opportunities for local participation gear up on Tuesday, Aug. 8, with open class exhibits and 4-H conference judging. 4-H conference judging is not open to the public and information for 4-H families can be received from the Central Kansas District Extension Office in Salina.
Open class exhibits are open to the public, and those folks in Saline County who have flower and vegetable gardens have an earlier entry time than the other divisions of exhibits. Floriculture and horticulture divisions must be entered between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, with entry through the southwest door of Kenwood Hall at the Saline County Expo Center. Other exhibits, including baked goods, preserved foods, photography, quilts, handcrafts, clothing, woodworking, antiques, ceramics, fine art youth projects and more, can be checked in for exhibit between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Community members who choose to exhibit also have an opportunity to receive feedback on their exhibits, as exhibits in open class are judged and premium money is awarded to entires earning first, second and third place awards. A best of show is also awarded in each division.
More information about exhibiting at the 2023 Tri-Rivers Fair can be found online at www.tririversfair.org.
Also in Kenwood Hall, community members can support 4-H scholarships by bidding on silent auction items. Bidding starts at 1 p.m. on Thursday and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
4-H exhibits will be open to the public starting on Wednesday, Aug. 9 through Saturday, Aug. 12. Exhibits include similar projects as open class exhibits, and include 4-H livestock exhibits. Livestock shows will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 9 with poultry judging at 10 a.m. in Barn #1 and 4-H bucket calf and 4-H dairy goats at 2:30 p.m. in Ag Hall. Thursday, Aug. 10 includes the 4-H beef show at 9 a.m. in Ag Hall; the 4-H meat goat show at 2 p.m. in Barn #2; the 4-H sheep show at 4 p.m. in Barn #2 and the 4-H swine show at 5:30 p.m. in Barn #2.
KIDS’ DAY: Thursday, Aug. 10 offers entertainment just for kids, including an afternoon storytime, the kids pedal tractor pull and the second annual touch-a-truck event. All events are free to attend.
Storytime at the Fair will be hosted by the Saline Public Library at 3 p.m. in the grassy area by the south circle drive of Tony’s Pizza Event Center.
The kids pedal tractor pull starts with registration at 5:45 p.m. outside, on the south side of Tony’s Pizza Event Center. Families can register their children, ages 4-12, to show off their leg muscles by pedaling as far as they can in a kids pedal tractor. The pull starts at 6:30 p.m. with the top three pulls qualifying for the Kansas State Fair’s pedal tractor pull.
In the west parking lot of Tony’s Pizza Event Center, kids can climb into a tractor, a dump truck and multiple other large vehicles at the second annual touch-a-truck event from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10. Trucks expected to be in the parking lot include a semi-truck, a field sprayer, a John Deere tractor, a Kabota tractor, emergency response vehicles, a loader tractor, a dump truck, a road grater, a trash truck and more.
FRIDAY VARIETY: Friday, Aug. 11 entertainment launches in the morning at 10 a.m. with a Show and Sell Artist Showcase until 8 p.m. in the lobby of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center. Nine artists from Saline County and the surrounding counties were selected to showcase and sell fine arts to the public. The work for sale includes epoxy art, jewelry, wood burning, woodworking, custom prints, framed and non-framed art work, photography and more. The Show and Sell Artist Showcase will run for two days, with the same hours on Saturday, Aug. 12
Children ages two to seven have an opportunity to show livestock during the Pee Wee Showmanship event at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 in Barn #2. Interested participants may borrow a livestock animal from a livestock exhibitor to show, and all participants will receive a ribbon for showing. A “consent and release” form must be completed prior to showing. No open-toed shoes should be worn when showing in the Pee Wee Showmanship event.
Friday evening is for cornhole, as the Tri-Rivers Fair partners with Salina Cornhole to put on the second annual cornhole tournament at the fair. The tournament will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the horse warm-up arena south of Ag Hall and involve two divisions of tournament brackets: amateurs and competitive. Entry fees are $50 per team for the double elimination tournament, with the top three teams earning a percentage of the registration fees and parts of a $1,000 added payout. A beer garden will be provided during the tournament, and coolers will be admitted for an additional fee.
WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT: Daytime activity on Saturday, Aug. 12 offers spectator opportunity with the Kansas Tractor Club showcasing antique tractors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. south of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center and the Salina Kennel Club showcasing canine obedience and agility skills from 1-5 p.m. in the Great Plains Manufacturing Convention Center inside the Tony’s Pizza Event Center.
Evening activities straddles two locations. The Tri-Rivers Fair draft horse pull will start at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 in Ag Hall at the Saline County Expo Center. Tickets are available at the gate for $7 for adults; and $4 for children ages 6-12.
The second annual demolition derby at the Salina Speedway will also begin at 7 p.m. with gates open at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12. Pits will open at 3 p.m.
Tickets are available at the game for $10 for adults; and $4 for children ages 6-12, but you don’t have to wait until Saturday to get your tickets. Tickets may be purchased at the fair office the week of the fair by cash or check only.
CARNIVAL: The Tri-Rivers Fair will feature WEEE Entertainment carnival rides Wednesday, Aug. 9 through Saturday, Aug. 12, opening at 6 p.m. Cost per ticket is $4, but family packs of 10 can be purchased for $35 or a super saver pack of 30 can be purchased for $100. Wristbands will be $30.