Walworth County Fairgrounds facts for kids
The Walworth County Fairgrounds is a large area of land, about 99 acres, located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. It's in Walworth County, Wisconsin, in the United States. This land is owned by a group called the Walworth County Agricultural Society.
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Discovering the Fairgrounds' History
The Walworth County Agricultural Society started on April 28, 1842. The very first fair they recorded happened in East Troy, Wisconsin on October 16, 1850. At that fair, they gave out many awards for different things.
Early Fair Locations
The first county fair held in Elkhorn was in 1851. It took place southwest of the Elkhorn City Park. In 1853, the fair moved to Delavan, Wisconsin. But it came back to Elkhorn in 1854.
Finding a Permanent Home
In 1855, the fairgrounds bought its first piece of land. They bought 6 acres from Colonel Edward Elderkin in Elkhorn. It cost $100 per acre, which was a lot of money back then. The city of Elkhorn gave $300 to help. This money was used to build fences, animal pens, sheds, and dig wells. Since 1855, the fair has always been held at this same spot.
Fair Visitors and Transportation
Many people came to the fair by train a long time ago. At one point, 19 special trains arrived daily. They would unload visitors and then leave each evening after the races. These trains came from places like Libertyville, Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, and Freeport, Illinois. They also came from Walworth, Wisconsin, Janesville, Wisconsin, Beloit, Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and Waukesha, Wisconsin.
New Traditions at the Fair
In 1933, the Walworth County Fair started having night shows. The WLS Entertainers were some of the first performers. That year was also the first time the fair opened on a Sunday. The Walworth County Fair is known as a "dry" fair. This means no alcoholic drinks are allowed on the grounds. The fair is also famous for its harness racing. It is one of the last county fairs to still have these exciting races.
Walworth County Fair Country Idol
A popular new event is called Walworth County Fair Country Idol. This singing contest has three parts. First, there are auditions, usually in early June at the fairgrounds. Then, the semi-finals and finals happen around the time of the annual fair. There's also a similar contest for younger kids. It's called "Juniors" and takes place on the "Barnyard Adventure Stage" during the fair.
Famous Performers at the Fair
Many famous artists have performed at the Walworth County Fair. Some of them include Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, and The Beach Boys. Other big names like Styx, Lonestar, Travis Tritt, and LeAnn Rimes have also played there. In 2015, Charlie Daniels and Cheap Trick were featured performers.
The Agricultural Society Today
The official papers for the Walworth County Agricultural Society were signed on April 5, 1965. Today, the land owned by the society is about 99 acres.
Images for kids
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Building
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Sign
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Grandstands
