Racine County Fair opens five-day annual event

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. - It is the first day of the Racine County Fair: a tradition that has been going on since 1923.

Showing at the fair

What they're saying:

"These are my two pigs. This is Gizmo and that’s Banjo," 10-year-old Blair Gallick said.

Gallick finally gets to show off her family pigs at the Racine County Fair this year. Tomorrow, she presents them in competition.

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"It means so much to me," she said. "I’ve been waiting for this moment for years."

That wonder is being felt by many people on opening day.

Volunteers and vendors

What they're saying:

Richelle Henningfeld, a volunteer on the fair’s board, plans year-round for this.

"I literally told my husband last night ‘Can you sleep? Because I can’t.’ Because it feels like Christmas," Henningfeld said.

There are 212 vendors and over 100,000 people are expected over the fair’s five days.

That includes Neil Buchanan, a volunteer at the Kiwana stand. It has been around since the 80s and is famous for its steak sandwiches and chili cheese dogs. The food stand donates most of its profits to local youth.

"The people that grow up at the fair, it’s just part of our culture, it’s part of what we do. We look forward to it," Buchanan said. "At the end of the fair everyone talks about getting faired out, but boy, give it another week, and you’re excited about next year already."

Buchanan worked at the fair when he was a little kid, then he took that money and ate at this stand. Now, he volunteers here.

"It’s like a family reunion because everyone wants to be here, it’s the time to check out of real life and check into fair life for a bit," Buchanan said.

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There are free events at the grandstands every night, live music from local artists and food from around Racine County.

Over 90% of the workers at the fair are volunteers. It's just one part of the magic behind an event that – whether through food, fun or farm animals – brings the community closer together.

"Oh, I’ve been so excited. The fair is one of my favorite times of the summer, and it makes me so happy every year," Gallick said.

The fair runs until Sunday. Every day it will be open from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., except Sunday, when they close at 6 p.m. You can find more information on the fair's website.

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