The Whitley County Fair begins tommorow, offering four days of fun for all ages.
Gates open to the public at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The fair has plenty of attractions and activities each day from children’s games and equine care demonstrations to a demolition derby and a firework show. Fair board member Connie Davis said this year’s fair is the largest she has seen in the four years she has been involved.
“We have got a whole lot going on. I am excited for this year’s fair, I really am,” Davis said.
Free entry and sensory time on Wednesday
Before the gates open to the general public, the Whitley County Fair will host a sensory day at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Children and adults with sensory issues can enjoy the fair’s activities in a calmer environment. Community members in attendance will receive free food courtesy of Whitley County Jailer Jason Wilson.
Entry is free for all on the first day of the fair. While no large events are scheduled Wednesday, several activities and demonstrations are available to enjoy. The fairgrounds will be filled with water inflatables, a corn pit, peddle tractors, a mechanical bull and calf dummy lassoing. Demonstrations of crafts like leather work, crocheting and soap making will be running every day of the fair.
Fair classic demolition derby and new carousel on Thursday
The Demolition Derby is one of the Whitley County Fair’s main staples every year. The Demolition Derby is a crowd-drawing, car-ramming competition where the driver of the last junk vehicle moving wins. This year’s derby features only one class of front wheel drive cars with four cylinder or V6 engines only as opposed to the three classes featured in 2025.
Registration for the Demolition Derby begins at 5 p.m. at the main tent. Drivers must be at least 21 years of age, sign a waiver beforehand and provide their own vehicles. Rules for vehicle qualifications and derby conduct are outlined in a July 16 Facebook post on the Whitley County Fair’s page.
The Demolition Derby begins at 7 p.m.
The Whitley County fair will also debut its new carousel attraction on Thursday. It will join the daily roster of activities through the rest of the weekend.
Equine activities on Friday
The Whitley County Fair Horse Show begins at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Horse Show features 20 classes categorized by age group, experience level, individual and collaborative events. Classes 12 and 18-20 are championships. Class 12 is a pleasure gait championship for Whitley County residents only. Classes 18-20 are the youth rider pleasure gait championship, the walking gait championship and the racking championship.
An intermission will start midway through the show while a duck chase, greased pig chase and rooster chase will be hosted for child participants.
Davis said last year’s horse show had a total of more than 200 entries.
“The crowds are enormous for those big activities. Kentucky is known for its horses, so we have a lot of local people who ride,” she said.
Registration for the Horse Show begins at 5 p.m. and ends at intermission. Anyone wishing to register for the first five classes must register before 6:30 p.m. A lead line class for participants 12 years old and younger is free. All other classes cost $10-15, and certain classes have payouts for 1st through 3rd place. A July 16 Whitley County Fair Facebook post outlines each class, entry cost and payout information.
The Whitley County Fair will host several other equine themed events leading up to the horse show Friday night. Events include a display of ultrasounds on pregnant horses from Creekside Vet Clinic and a hoof care demonstration from 19:26 Stables.
Mule pull, mud bog and live entertainment on Saturday
The final and largest day of the fair is packed with events and activities starting with the annual mule pull. Pairs of mules or horses pulling sleds filled with concrete blocks compete to see what team can haul the most weight over the farthest distance.
The afternoon events kick off at noon with a series of kids’ games will begin at noon on the main stage including sack races, stick horse making, apple bobbing and donut and watermelon eating contests.
Another new addition to the Whitley County Fair this year is a live pro wrestling show at 1 p.m. in the field between the mud bog and pavilion.
The mud bog is a timed race where competitors must drive ATVs and side-by-sides through a mud-filled pit. Racers will have two 60-second runs, and the average of the runs determine the final time. There are 4 race categories: street, 34-38, 33 and under and outlaw. Six classes are divided by vehicle type, vehicle specifications and youth categories.
Registration for the mud bog begins at 3:30 p.m. The race begins at 5 p.m.
This year’s fair will close with a live music performance by Ruthless Vendetta at 8 p.m. on the main stage. The band will play to the start of a firework show once it is dark enough.
A daily ticket costs $10 for ages 13+ and $5 for children age six to 12. All children five years old and younger get in free. A three-day pass costs $25 for ages 13+ and $10 for ages 6-12. Weekend passes can be purchased at the main tent on Wednesday or at the Judge Executive’s office.
For more information about the Whitley County Fair, call (606) 549-6000 or visit its Facebook page.
