The Dodge County Fair has been bringing families together for more than 130 years. More than 50,000 attendees walk through the fair gates annually in Beaver Dam, attending the largest outdoor event in the area. Families look forward to this festival all summer long. The Dodge County Fair is a five-day music and entertainment festival, scheduled for Wednesday, August 15 through Sunday, August 19. The Dodge County Fairgrounds are located just three miles east of Beaver Dam – just a short drive from Madison, Milwaukee and the Fox Valley.

Families should arrive with an appetite for the must-have, unique fair food, as the aisles are filled with the smells of popcorn, cotton candy, and delicious, grilled fair concessions. The kids will enjoy cooling down with refreshing lemonade, ice cream and snow cones after they ride the midway rides.

Youth education and exhibits are always a primary focus at the Dodge County Fair. 4-H youth will show a variety of animals including goats, hogs, horses and kittens. Pig, Duck and Goat Races from Pleasure Valley Farm will also entertain young animal-lovers with four shows daily.

Each day will also feature a variety of judging competitions for youth and adult categories. View open class and junior exhibits featuring items like flowers, farm crops, honey, children’s and adult clothing, photography and a variety of food.

Free evening entertainment kicks off on Wednesday evening, when the Badger State Truck and Tractor Pull begins at 7:00 pm. Various pro stock tractors and diesel trucks will compete on unique two track competition.

The Oak Ridge Boys will take the stage with their gospel and country music sound for the second consecutive year at the fair. This free concert begins on Thursday evening at 8:00 pm. Please check out our website for details on concert seating. Seating for all evening events is on a first come, first served basis.

End your busy week as a family at the fair. When attending the fair on Friday afternoon, families can enjoy unlimited rides from noon until 5:00 pm for only $25. There are new, thrilling rides added annually. Families will also enjoy free shows and events, including the Wild World of Animals which featuring thirteen different animals from all over the world, the comical Kandu the Magic Show, and even a chainsaw artist. The Wild and Wacky Game Show will get kids involved in a variety of fun activities on stage – and every participant will receive a prize.

Chris Janson will entertain a packed crowd on Friday evening at 8:00 pm. Arrive early to secure your seating. Janson’s “Buy Me a Boat” was his 2015 breakthrough single. This rising star has also written more than twenty-five chart toppers for some of the most popular country music artists, including Tim McGraw.

The legendary, sound of Grand Funk Railroad and Foghat will fill the grandstands on Saturday evening. Fans will sing along to chart toppers like “Slow Ride” and “Some Kind of Wonderful”, starting at 8:00 pm. Saturday will also be Family Day at the midway from noon until 5:00 pm. Parents and children can enjoy twenty midway tickets for only $10 on Saturday afternoon.  A horse pull is scheduled at 9:00 am and fans will enjoy an entertaining tractor pull, featuring local farmers from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon.

On Sunday morning, the five-day festival will conclude with the Pernant Haase Meats Four Wheel Drive Truck Pull at 9:00, with action-packed demolition derbies to follow in the afternoon at 1:00 and 6:00.

Attend the Dodge County Fair for only $5.40 per day with the purchase of a 2018 season pass.  Daily gate admission is $7 before 12:00 pm; or $10 after 12:00 pm.  Children ages nine and under receive free admission.  There is still time to purchase your season tickets. Advance season tickets are only $27 if purchased before August 15 and $35 at the gate.

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by Jamie Adcock author of runningdivamom.com and sunprairiemom.com