UPDATED 11:36am 7/8/24
Now that winners have been crowned in the annual Knox County Fair Queen pageant, the fair can officially begin.
The fair starts Monday and runs through Saturday, and in addition to celebrating local agriculture, it also celebrates competition, in terms of things like harness races.
“I think it was every day, a very popular event,” said Ted Inness, fair board member. “Then, it kind of fizzled out a little bit because it was so hot. We couldn’t get people to come and watch it during the daytime…so we moved it to an evening. It really has changed a lot of things.”
Inness tells “Galesburg In Focus” on WGIL attendance has become, in his words, huge since the move.
Monday’s harness racing, however, has since been postponed until Tuesday, July 9, at 11am because of weather.
But, there’s concern that, after this year, the stock car racing may end up being a thing of the past, because of changes that would need to be made.
“(Changes are needed to) not only the track, the lighting…guard rails…it just takes so much time and so much money,” said Josh Smith, fair board member. “These guys are racing their cars now, and they have $50,000 to $100,000 in a motor, and it’s too hard. We’re the only half-mile track in this area.”
Nevertheless, Smith tells “Galesburg In Focus” on WGIL there have been successes, and plenty of them, running the fair more like a business the last 15 years.
Stock car racing is going on this year as scheduled, along with harness racing, the demo derby, carnival rides, live entertainment, food, and more.
CLICK HERE for a full Knox County Fair schedule, and more information.
