Big Horn County Fair
Location Big Horn Co. Fairgrounds
Basin, WY 82410
Dates August 02, 2010 - August 08, 2010 - CONFIRMED!
Description: The very first Big Horn County Fair was held when Big Horn County encompassed the whole of the Big Horn Basin. In 1907, the year of the first fair, Big Horn County included what is now Big Horn, Park, Washakie, and Hot Springs Counties.

That first fair saw horse races, boxing matches, speeches by dignitaries from across the state, essays by school children, and exhibits of animals and farm and garden produce. Interestingly the winner of the essay contest about the horse and its use in farming actually won a horse for first place. The winner of the essay about the cow actually did win a dairy heifer. Other prizes included magazine subscriptions, halters and other animal handling equipment and books.

The Fair kept going strong even though by 1910 Park County had come into being and Washakie and Hot Springs weren’t far behind. In the 1917 edition of the Basin Republican it states that “The Fair will be held September 4-6 and exhibits will be in the buildings north and west of the grandstands.” The Boys and Girls clubs from Lovell camped on the grounds.

In 1928 the fair was held September 12-14 and included a carnival and a new dance pavilion for the “enjoyment of the populace.”

Then in 1929 there is no mention of a fair of any kind.

The Basin Bean Festival started in 1934 and was a celebration of the production of beans in this county. Soon after that 4-H clubs came into being and sponsored 4-H club fairs around the county. They rotated from Lovell to Greybull to Basin and sometimes Cowley.

In 1947 the Bean Festival and Fair were combined into the Big Horn Basin Bean Festival and Fair. And they advertised “A new Grandstand seating 2500 people.” It also stated that the 4-H Fair would be held in conjunction with the Festival.

The exhibit buildings that are in use now had their beginnings in 1962. About that time they started moving the exhibits to the east side of the grounds. Each year as a new building was completed that exhibit was moved. The latest building, which houses the office, was completed in 1984.

From its beginning the Big Horn County Fair has had its ups and downs but still boasts one of the best fair grounds in the state. And some of the best exhibits offered anywhere. Even when the exhibits numbers are low, there are still more exhibits at the Big Horn County Fair than at most other fairs.
Contact nameHoward Gernant
Phone307 568 2968
Event Websitehttp://www.bighorncountyfair.com
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