It’s opening day for one of the last free county fairs of its size. The Ozaukee County Fair is a tradition that still draws a crowd.
For 157 years, since 1859, folks walk the grounds taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes.
Ozaukee County Fair Board Director, Natalie Salkowski eagerly emphasizes, “You can bring the family out and not spend a dime to see the animals, and you can get the snacks that you want and if you choose to see one of the grandstand shows then you can pay a little bit extra for that.”
A lot of area young people proudly show their animals, still competing for the iconic blue ribbon.
Knellsville’s Jake Roden couldn’t wait to have Rocky and Shadow strut their stuff. He explains, “Some people play football. It’s like game day basically. So it’s what we’ve been working for all summer and spring.”
From Lakeview, to Little Kohler, to Knellsville, today they’d call it hyper-local, but for some it’s really just about knowing your neighbor.
Saukville’s Tom Baldwin brought his teenage son Matt where they discovered some of their neighbors’ animals on display. He likes the atmosphere of this fair,”It’s small. I know people here. I don’t get lost. It’s really nice.”
The Ozaukee County Fair, located in Cedarburg, runs through Sunday.
