Donnellson, Iowa. A small town of less than a thousand in population, boasting two parks within a few mile radius and the kind of town where every driver that you come across flashes a wave as a gentle reminder that this is small town Iowa. While this town may be small, it is also the site of Iowa’s oldest county fair.
Celebrations have been ongoing since Wednesday, with FFA and 4H kids showing their animals. Josh Hawk, who was showing pigs in the competitive swine category, gave me the rundown on preparing pigs for competition. While I thought it would be a simple process, I was proven wrong rather quickly. He spends a couple of hours each day washing his pigs with water and essentially “fluffing up” their skin to really show off the animal’s strength and muscle definition.
Simply observing the fairgrounds for 5 minutes revealed what could best be described as a set directly out of “The Field of Dreams” movie. Children were playing baseball along the side of the learning center, pigs were housed and being prepared in a barn, contestants were nervous and excited at the same time, and Kenny’s Funland Carnival waited quietly in the background, waiting patiently for it’s turn to burst into life in the afternoon.
The Lee County Fair continues through this weekend, and KILJ will continue to provide updates from the grounds of the oldest county fair in Iowa.