Rodeo returns to Washington County Agricultural Fair; 226th fair kicks off Aug. 10
After a nearly decade-long hiatus, the rodeo is returning to the Washington County Agricultural Fair.
Todd Richards, president of the Washington County Agricultural Fair Board, announced Thursday at the annual media event that Buckeye Rodeo will be held Aug. 12 at 2 and 7 p.m.
“I’m excited that we brought back the rodeo. There were a lot of requests for it, and a lot of people asked why we stopped having the rodeo, so the board decided it was time to bring it back,” said Richards. “There will be some local participation, and I’m hoping we draw a nice crowd.”
Among the events that professional riders will compete in are a saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, team roping, tie-down roping, break-away roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and bull riding, and pole bending and keyhole for local participants.
A rodeo clown will host a kid-friendly boot scramble (participants race to find their boot in the middle of the arena, put it on, and race to the finish line) during intermission of the 2 p.m. performance and he will launch T-shirts (a $50 bill will be tucked inside one) using a T-shirt cannon during the 7 p.m. event.
“Come on out and have fun with it. The people who have never seen a rodeo, this is a chance to see what it’s all about. We might get some young kids interested in riding horses,” said Joe McCloskey, treasurer of the Washington County Agricultural Fair Board, who helped organize the event.
The agricultural fair, which will be held Aug. 10 to 17 at the Washington County Fairgrounds, will mark its 226th year. It features nearly 2,000 animals, including horses, dairy and beef cattle, sheep, swine and goats, as well as 2,600 agricultural exhibits.
Richards said a great lineup of entertainment, music, food, and other activities are planned.
Events include high school band night, a demolition derby, street stock trucks, drag racing, antique tractors, concerts, cooking and baking contests, and market livestock sales.
The fair is Pennsylvania’s oldest fair and attracts more than 64,000 visitors annually for the eight-day event. It is responsible for $6.7 million in economic impact, said Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
In 2023, the fairgrounds and expo center, which hosted events all year long, saw 138,000 visitors.
“When you think about the fair, the true purpose of the fair is really to bring a focus on agriculture in Washington County for a week,” said Kotula. “It’s a way to focus on our farming families and the impact they have on the food chain in our country. It helps us, who may not be around it, to appreciate all the hard work and dedication our agricultural industry and families have on this county.”
The fair gets underway Aug. 10 at 9 a.m. with a lawn and garden tractor pull, and a full slate of activities is planned.
Musical entertainment will be featured throughout the week, including AC and the Resistors on Aug. 12, Good Karma on Aug. 13, Scott Blasey of The Clarks on Aug. 14, Ruff Creek on Aug. 15, country artist Joey Adams on Aug. 16, and Bon Journey on Aug. 17.
The fair also includes nine contests, ranging from a fairy garden, quilt block and short story essay contests to a mullet hairstyle, hay hauling and drag racing contests.
About 30 food vendors will be on the grounds serving a variety of fare.
Richards said the midway and carnival games and carnival rides will be available daily.
Animals will be shown each day, with the market livestock sale slated for Friday (goats and rabbits) and Saturday (hogs, steer and lambs). A portion of the proceeds from the auctions are donated to the 4-H Scholarship Fund or to the fair.
“I always look forward to the sale at the end of the week and I hope everyone comes out to support the kids,” said Richards.
Richards thanked the fair sponsors.
“The continued growth and success of the fair would not be possible without continued support from local businesses in the form of sponsorships,” he said, noting the fair was able to complete major capital improvements, including renovation of the historic horse barn, paving, and additional fencing. Eagle Scout Aiden McMurray installed and stained new split rail fencing along the race track for his project. Other recent improvements include a new steer barn, the main street video board sign, and the new fairgrounds trolley bridge and platform.
The fair also will partner with Verizon, DQE Communications and local organizations to offer “Cell On Wheels,” or COW, to make sure fairgoers and vendors have access to wireless service.
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum – which has provided transportation to the fair for 113 years – will again offer its park and ride service to shuttle guests to and from the fair. Trolleys will depart every 10 to 15 minutes, and the $5 park-and-ride ticket will include admission to the museum.
For a full list of activities, visit the event schedule at washingtonfair.org.
Daily admission is $15 for adults and $5 for seniors on Monday, veterans on Tuesday and children (12 and under) on Thursday. Weekly passes are $45. Admission includes shows, entertainment and free parking.