Anti-freeze drains from Clint Doherty's Crown Victoria as it is engulfed in smoke while Dougas Gipson (9) and his 1999 Lincoln finish off the competition to win the full-size class round of the demolition derby, held Friday evening at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

The Douglas County Fair may just be one of the summer’s biggest attractions — in recent years, it’s drawn upward of 25,000 people to the fairgrounds in Lawrence — but back in the early 1950s, the fair was just a fledgling operation hosted at Haskell University.

Back then, before the fairgrounds were built, 4-H animals were all housed underneath the school’s football stadium. Or at least that’s what Margaret Kalb’s mother told her growing up.

“She used to talk about that all the time,” Kalb says with a laugh, recalling childhood memories of showing everything from chickens to sheep to cattle with her local 4-H club.

Kalb, who now serves as the executive secretary of the Douglas County Fair Board, says the event has become widely known as one of the largest and most varied of its kind in the state.

To honor that legacy, Kalb and her fellow board members are launching a new logo and slogan that she says they’ll use for this fair — slated for July 24 to Aug. 2 — and many more to come.

Under the banner of “One Great County — One Great Fair,” festivities kick off July 18 with a 4-H dog show and pet show at the fairground.

“We’re all pretty proud of this county and the support we get from everyone throughout the county,” Kalb says. “We thought that tied everything together and represents what we want the fair to be.”

This year’s schedule offers a little something for everyone, though Kalb says the annual demolition derby is the long-established crowd-pleaser.

She’s hoping to attract between 4,000 and 5,000 people to the fairground’s rodeo arena the night of July 31, when drivers in colorful, often creatively named cars smash into each other for cash prizes.

Between rounds, children ages 2 to 11 will have the chance to compete in a kid-friendly version called the Power Wheels Derby.

There’s no need to register beforehand, Kalb says — just show up with your battery-operated toy car (Fisher-Price makes a number of ride-on vehicles under the Power Wheels brand) and have at it. Unlike the grown-up derby, all participants will receive prizes, she says.

For yet another dose of vehicular anarchy, check out the second-annual Mowbashers on Aug. 1 at the fairground’s rodeo arena. In the tradition of the longstanding demolition derby, riders atop riding lawn mowers will battle it out until only one Mowbasher remains.

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival will have a variety of rides — for both thrill-seekers and the littlest fairgoers — on hand every evening from July 29 to Aug. 1. Individual rides cost tickets, but bracelets for unlimited rides will be available for purchase during Family Night from 6 to 11 p.m. July 30.

All other attractions — including live music from local groups Arnie Johnson and the Midnight Special, Loozin Sleep, SELLOUT and the James Webster Band — are free, says Kalb, who admits she’s partial to the livestock events.

The 4-H veteran served as community leader of a local 4-H club while her children were young. Though they’ve since grown up and moved out of state, Kalb still likes cheer on the fair’s youngest competitors from the sidelines of the 4-H events.

She plans to attend as many as possible when the fair starts up later this month.

“All those kids who were in my club years ago — I still call them ‘my kids,'” she says. “I watched them grow up, and now their kids are in 4-H, too. It’s been really cool to see.”

For more information on this year’s Douglas County Fair, including a full schedule of events, visit www.dgcountyfair.com.

Saturday, July 18

9 a.m.

4-H Pet Show, Bldg. 21S

1 p.m.

4-H Dog Show, Bldg. 21N

Monday, July 20

8:30 a.m.

4-H Fashion Revue Judging, Bldg. 21

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

4-H Clothing Consultation Judging, Dreher Building

Tuesday, July 21

7 p.m.

4-H Public Fashion Revue, Bldg. 21

Friday, July 24

7 p.m.

Jackpot Barrel Racing Competition, Community Bldg.

Saturday, July 25

7:30 a.m.

Superintendent’s Appreciation & Kickoff Breakfast, Bldg 2

8:30 a.m.

Building Set-Up

8-8:45 a.m.

4-H Horse Show Check-in, Community Bldg.

8:50 a.m.

4-H Horse Show Orientation Meeting & Flag Ceremony, Community Bldg.

9 a.m.

4-H Horse Show, Community Bldg.

Noon-12:30 p.m.

4-H Horse Show Check-in for those participating in racing events only

Sunday, July 26

8:30 a.m.

Open Horse Show Check-in, Community Bldg.

9 a.m.

Open Horse Show

6 p.m.

Beef Tie-out Set-up, Ball fields

Set Up Community Building for Livestock

Monday, July 27

1-7 p.m.

Enter & Consultation Judging on all 4-H Visual Arts, Heritage Arts, A Way With Waste, Crops, Horticulture, Flowers, Foods and Food Preservation, Photography, Project Displays, SpaceTech, Woodworking and Ag Education exhibits.

Enter 4-H Clothing Exhibits

Enter All Open Class Crops, Fine Arts, Flowers, Foods, Food Preservation, Horticulture & Quilts

5-7 p.m.

Enter & Consultation Judging on 4-H Banners, Cloverbuds, Energy Management, Entomology, Flowers, Forestry, Geology, & Home Environment exhibits

6-9 p.m.

Enter Beef, Bucket Calves, Dairy, Dairy & Market Goats, Llamas, Poultry, Rabbits, Sheep & Swine

7 p.m.

Consultation judging on Ag Education exhibits & Judging of Open Class Flowers

Tuesday, July 28

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8 a.m.

Poultry Show, Poultry Barn

Judging of all Open Class Crops, Fine Arts, Foods, Food Preservation, Horticulture & Quilts

Market Goat & Sheep Weigh-In

10 a.m.

Market Hog Weigh-in

1 p.m.

Market Beef Weigh-In

3-9 p.m.

Building 21 & Dreher Building Open to Public

3-6 p.m.

Food Sale, Building 21

5 p.m.

4-H/Open Dairy Goat & Meat Show Judging Arena

Meat Goat Show – 4-H/FFA

1. Showmanship Classes
2. PeeWee Showmanship
3. Breeding Meat Doe Goat Classes
4. Meat Goat Classes

7-10 p.m.

Musical performance by “Arnie Johnson & The Midnight Special”

Wednesday, July 29

10 a.m.-9 p.m.

BUILDINGS OPEN TO PUBLIC

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8:30 a.m.

Llama Show, Judging Arena

9 a.m.

Poultry Showmanship Contest, Poultry Barn

11 a.m.

4-H & Open Dairy Show

Noon-2 p.m.

Horticulture Judging Contest Bldg. 2

Consumer Judging Contest, Bldg. 2

Photography Judging Contest, Bldg. 2

Reading Contest, Bldg. 2

1-10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Bldg. 8

1-4 p.m.

Farm Bureau Dunk Tank, Blacktop Area

4-10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Bldg. 8

5-7:30 p.m.

Chef’s Challenge, Shelter Area South of Stage

5 p.m.

Swine Show in Judging Arena

1. Showmanship Classes
2. Pee Wee Showmanship
3. Breeding Gilts
4. Market Hog Show

6-8 p.m.

“Touch A Truck” – Rodeo Arena

6-7 p.m.

Enter Naturally Nutritious Food Festival Exhibits, Bldg. 21

7 p.m.

Judging of Naturally Nutritious Food Festival Exhibits (Public sampling immediately following judging)

6-11 p.m.

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

7-10 p.m.

Musical performance by “Loozin’ Sleep”

Thursday, July 30

10 a.m.-9 p.m.

BUILDINGS OPEN TO PUBLIC

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8 a.m.

Dairy Goat Milking Contest Milk Out

Rabbit Show, Judging Arena

1. Meat Pen Rabbits
2. Breeding Classes
3. Rabbit Showmanship & Judging Contest

1 p.m.

Livestock Judging Contest, Judging Arena (start with cattle)

1-4 p.m.

Farm Bureau “Dunk for Food” Dunk Tank, Blacktop Area

1-10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Bldg. 8

4-10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Bldg. 8

6 p.m.

Sheep Show – 4-H/FFA/Open in Judging Arena

1. Showmanship Classes
2. Pee Wee Showmanship
3. Open Class Rams
4. Breeding Ewes – 4-H/FFA/Open Class
5. Market Lamb Show – 4-H/FFA

6-11 p.m.

Family Night Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival

7 p.m.

Antique Tractor Pull, Rodeo Arena

8 p.m.

Dairy Goat Milking Contest Milk Out

7-10 p.m.

Musical performance, “SELLOUT”

Friday, July 31

10 a.m.-9 p.m.

BUILDINGS OPEN TO PUBLIC

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8:30 a.m.

Bucket Calf Show followed by PeeWee Bucket Calf Showmanship

Beef Show, Community Building

1. Market Beef
2. Showmanship
3. Breeding Beef

1 p.m.

AUCTION CARDS Due at Fair Board Office, Bldg. 21S

1-10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Bldg. 8

4-10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Bldg. 8

6 p.m.

Bale Throwing Contest, Blacktop Area; co-sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau. Registration 5:30 p.m.

6 p.m.-midnight

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

7:30 p.m.

Demolition Derby, Rodeo Arena

Saturday, Aug. 1

10 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

BUILDINGS OPEN TO PUBLIC

7:30-9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

9 a.m.

Round Robin Showmanship Classic Final

Turtle Race, Stage Area on Blacktop

10:30 a.m.

Pedal Tractor Pull, co-sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau, Black top area. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.

10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, Bldg. 8

11 a.m.

Barnyard Olympics, Old Judging Arena

11 a.m.-noon

Release All Non Sale Beef & Bucket Calves

1-5 p.m.

Family Day, Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival

5 p.m.

State Fair Entries Due in Extension Office

Awards Ceremony, Black top area in front of stage

5 p.m.-11 p.m.

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

6:30 p.m.

4-H Livestock Auction, Community Building

7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Musical performance by “James Webster Band”

7:30 p.m.

“Mowbashers” Lawn Mower Demolition Derby – Rodeo Arena (Gates open at 6:30 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 2

8-10 a.m.

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