By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Food, livestock, 4-H exhibits, and the carnival are usually mainstays at the Barton County Fair each summer. This year, wheels and races will be a big part of a full slate of action on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 at the fairgrounds. Barton County Fair Association President Charles Atkinson said all street-legal vehicles are welcome for the fourth Cruise Barton County Poker Run Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
"We're going to start at the B-29 Memorial this year at the airport," he said. "We're going to go on a cruise through Barton County to look at the sites, the beauty of our county, make some stops. It's kind of like a poker run - come back to the grounds and cash in your chips."
More wheels are welcome at the Kids Power Wheels race at the Expo I Speedway on Saturday. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. and the races begin at 7 p.m.
"We know a lot of these kids have these electric cars that are running around," Atkinson said. "We thought it'd be fun to get those out. We're inviting them to come out, bring out their car. We're going to give them a pit stall, stage them, having a driver's meeting. We're going run it NASCAR style. Each age group is going to make three laps around the Expo I Speedway, have a little race there, and just have some fun with the kids."
Activities begin at the fairgrounds at 8 a.m. Friday. The Belt Sander Races will get underway at 6 p.m. outside the beer garden, just before the rock concert begins on the Peoples Bank and Trust stage. Saturday's activities begin at 7 a.m. with the Runway Run. Antique tractor pull registration begins at 10 a.m. with competition at 11. Motorcycle drag races begin at 3 p.m. north of Expo III, and the kids tractor pull begins at 4 p.m. inside Expo II.
The fair will begin its shutdown on Sunday, but not before a sunrise service at 8 a.m. and breakfast at 8:30 a.m. The 4-H BBQ takes place Sunday at 11 a.m. inside Expo I with drive-thru options available. The Celebrity Showmanship contest begins at 1:30 p.m.
CLICK HERE to view a full schedule of this year's Barton County Fair.