The much-anticipated Moniteau County Fair is slated to begin in just a few short days, on Saturday, Aug. 3.
The fair will run from Aug. 3-10 at the fairgrounds located on East South Street in California. This will be the 153rd consecutive edition of the fair, which is known as the oldest continuous fair west of the Mississippi.
Part of this storied history is the family of Tammy Hoellering, who serves as treasurer on the fair's board. Hoellering said she has been serving on the board for more than 20 years. Even before then, the fair has been a family tradition - she said her father also served on the board, so she spent plenty of time around the fair while growing up as a child.
As far as this year's fair goes, Hoellering said not much has changed in terms of the daily events taking place throughout the week. She said fairgoers can expect the usual popular standards, such as the Figure 8 Scramble on Friday and the Demo Derby on Saturday. The Kay Brothers, a group with a local connection, will also return to perform Thursday night.
The few notable changes this year largely revolve around the fair schedule. The Senior Citizens Day, previously held on Thursday during past editions of the fair, will instead take place this year on Wednesday. The Fair Ham Breakfast will still open the fair, but will be hosted by the Fraternal Order of Eagles instead of the Kiwanis Club.
Hoellering said the board in previous years has tried to bring other events to the fair that just haven't stuck for one reason or another. She said they've tried mud runs, motocross and other live music before, but nothing new has really jumped out as a big hit among fairgoers recently. Budget also limits the size and scope of events like music groups the fair might hope to bring, she said.
"It's hard to find something that everyone loves," Hoellering said, " and that we can afford."
Hoellering said the Figure 8 Scramble has been the fair's biggest night for the past several years, and she anticipates that trend to continue. As for herself, Hoellering said her favorite night has always been the tractor pull, but she also looks forward to simply seeing old friends during the week.
For more information and other updates about the fair, visit the Moniteau County Fair page on Facebook.