BAKER CITY, LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon youth are gussying up their animals and entertainers are preparing for the stage in anticipation of this summer’s county fairs.

In Baker City, the fair was held last year in a limited capacity. This year will look a bit more like normal, said Devon Colton, fair administrative assistant for Baker County. She is hopeful for large crowds at the fair, she said, especially after the great turnout for the town’s Miners Jubilee in mid-July.

“It was really encouraging to see that people want to get out,” she said.

The Baker County Fair in Baker City begins July 30 with a horse show, then continues the next week, Aug. 1-6.

Union County didn’t have a public fair in 2020. This year it returns, Aug. 4-7 at the Union County Fairgrounds in La Grande.

Baker County Fair

A full week of fair activities are planned starting with a 4-H/FFA horse show at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 30 and 31. Sunday, Aug. 1, is open class check-in (except flowers and horticulture, which need to come on Monday, Aug. 2, from 8-11 a.m.).

Animals arrive Tuesday, Aug. 3, and the fair opens to the public at noon that day. That evening brings a cornhole tournament starting at 7 p.m.

For the rest of the week, Wednesday through Friday, the fair opens to the public at 9 a.m. each day. A “Kidz Fun Zone” with inflatables and yard games is open those three days as well.

Two concerts are planned: Olivia Harms takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4, and Trailer Hitch plays at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5.

Showing of the fair animals happens throughout the week. An outdoor arena will again be used for swine, sheep and goats. Beef exhibits will be shown inside Cockram arena, and the small animals will be located in part of the event center.

PeeWee Showmanship is set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Youth who want to participate can find forms at www.bakerfair.com/fair or at the Extension office, 2600 East St., Baker City. Open class forms are also on this site, and can be submitted with entries.

Several vendors have committed to the week, and Colton said more are welcome. For information, check the website or call/text her at 541-519-2110. Forms can be emailed to devon.colton@oregonstate.edu.

The fair concludes with the auction at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6.

Union County Fair

After a hiatus in 2020, the Union County Fair is returning this year with “Jammin’ at the Fair” at the fairgrounds, Aug. 4-7.

The fair opens each day at 8 a.m., and doesn’t close down until 10 p.m. Admission is $6 adults, $4 for ages 7-17, $5 for veterans, and free for ages 6 and younger. A season pass is $18 adults and $12 for youth. Thursday, Aug. 5, is free admission for seniors age 60 and older.

The exhibit booths open at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, followed by the open class sheep and meat goat show at 1 p.m. and the open class beef and dairy cattle show at 5 p.m. Closing out the day is music by Brady Goss at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Thursday features a wide variety of activities and entertainment, including hypnotism at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., as well as a performance from Becki’s Studio of Dance at 4 p.m. For those with adventurous youngsters, there will be mutton busting (children hold on tight to a running sheep for as long as possible) and stick horse racing at Maverick’s Arena at 6:30 p.m.

For Friday’s Fair Parade, entries line up at 4 p.m. and the parade starts at 6 p.m. The day ends with the blues-rock stylings of Too Slim & the Taildraggers at 8 p.m.

Saturday will see performances from The Wasteland Kings at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Aside from some of the acts listed on the main stage above, throughout the fair there will also be various performances on the small stage, and the carnival area will be open from 4-10 p.m. daily, where youngsters can play inside various inflatables and “Zorb Balls” (essentially child-size hamster balls).

To learn more about the fair, visit www.unioncountyfair.org or the Union County Fairgrounds Facebook page.