Medina County Fair wraps up with high attendance

Community NewsThe 181st Medina County Fair took place Aug. 3-9 at the Medina County Fairgrounds.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comBy Emily Canning-Dean, special to cleveland.comThe wilderness adventure building offered fun activities for kids like fishing and archery.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comThe Looney Belle fun house is a popular feature at the Medina County Fair.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comThe Midway at the Medina County Fair boasted all sorts of tasty treats.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comIn celebration of America 250, the Medina County Fair had many patriotic displays.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comThe sea lion show was a popular feature at the Medina County Fair.Emily Cannng-Dean, Special to Cleveland.comMEDINA, Ohio – As soon as the Medina County Fair ends each August, organizers are back to work planning for next year. “We will meet next week to start planning for 2027,” Fair Director Pam Oberholtzer said Aug. 8. “We will evaluate what was good and what didn’t work so well and make decisions about certain features if we should bring them back or try something different.” The 181st Medina County Fair took place Aug. 3-9. It started in 1845 and is one of the oldest county fairs in the state, Oberholtzer said. While final attendance numbers aren’t available, Lori Berger, vice president of the Medina County Agricultural Society Board of Directors, said attendance seemed to be up this year. “Monday started off as a record day and every day we have had good numbers,” she said. Oberholtzer said the weather can often affect fair attendance. “On Thursday the rain did come in late during the bull riding event, but even then, there were still a lot of people sitting in the grandstand,” she said. The sea lion show, which was back for a second year, was a popular attraction during the fair. “The show is entertaining but it’s also very educational,” she said. “They talk about plastics and how that can affect marine animals.” One of the buildings on the fairgrounds offered a free wilderness adventure, which Oberholtzer said is popular among kids. An agricultural tent with baby chicks, a milking cow and bunnies is also a hit. “We do try to keep agriculture at the forefront,” Oberholtzer said. “A lot of Medina County isn’t very agricultural anymore, so we try to bring as many agricultural features as possible for the public to see.” MORE BY EMILY CANNING-DEANNew this year was ‘Wheels of Agriculture,’ a free game show. “We also had a trivia tractor going around the fair between shows sharing all kinds of agricultural facts,” Oberholtzer said. For more information about the Medina County Fair visit medinaohiofair.com.