DARLINGTON - Lafayette County is trying out a new form of entertainment for its 157th annual fair this week, in addition to the traditional tractor pulls and country music.
Camel racing, long a popular sport in the Middle East, will be the main attraction Thursday, July 11 at the grandstand on the Darlington fairgrounds. The gangly beasts of burden are coming to the fair from the Franksville-based Jo-Don Farms, and races begin at 6 p.m.
Sixteen locals are selected to ride the camels and compete, including Argyle Police Chief Hayley Saalsaa and others from area law enforcement agencies.
Any serious crime will "have to wait until the camel races are over," joked Wayne Wilson, county supervisor.
He and others on the fair board learned about camel racing at the Wisconsin Association of Fairs' convention back in January. County fairs across the U.S. haven't been drawing the crowds they used to, and fair boards are seeking new ways to attract people.
"We're going to give it a try and see how it works," Wilson said, adding that the camel racing has already been generating curiosity. "All I know is I'm too old to ride one."
Besides the camel races and a major remodel of the beef barn, the rest of the fair sticks with tradition. Wenzel Amazements is returning to provide the carnival midway during the five-day event.
Entertainment in the grandstand kicks off Wednesday, July 10 with stock car racing at 7 p.m.
Up-and-coming Texas singer Kristen Kelly, who recently had a hit with "Ex-Old Man," headlines the grandstand at 8 p.m. Friday, July 12. Darlington country duo Kyle Meylor and Rodney Kurschner open at 6:45 p.m.
The Badger State Tractor Pull is at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 13 for what Wilson describes as the "big brutes" of tractor pulling.
"If you like smoke from exhaust, that's the night to come," he said. Regular tractor pulls, with registration open to the public, are Thursday evening and Saturday at noon.
The FFA Rural Olympics - youth games such as rope-pulling, sack races and an egg toss - are at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 14. In a break from past years, the games will be held in the grandstand instead of the cattle barn, so more people can watch.
The Gauntlet and Trailer Races close out the fair at 6 p.m. Sunday. This demolition derby-type event is open to public registration.
"Anything just about goes," Wilson said, from pickup trucks to boats with outdoor toilets strapped on top. "We don't care what it is, as long as the glass is removed from it."
Camel racing, long a popular sport in the Middle East, will be the main attraction Thursday, July 11 at the grandstand on the Darlington fairgrounds. The gangly beasts of burden are coming to the fair from the Franksville-based Jo-Don Farms, and races begin at 6 p.m.
Sixteen locals are selected to ride the camels and compete, including Argyle Police Chief Hayley Saalsaa and others from area law enforcement agencies.
Any serious crime will "have to wait until the camel races are over," joked Wayne Wilson, county supervisor.
He and others on the fair board learned about camel racing at the Wisconsin Association of Fairs' convention back in January. County fairs across the U.S. haven't been drawing the crowds they used to, and fair boards are seeking new ways to attract people.
"We're going to give it a try and see how it works," Wilson said, adding that the camel racing has already been generating curiosity. "All I know is I'm too old to ride one."
Besides the camel races and a major remodel of the beef barn, the rest of the fair sticks with tradition. Wenzel Amazements is returning to provide the carnival midway during the five-day event.
Entertainment in the grandstand kicks off Wednesday, July 10 with stock car racing at 7 p.m.
Up-and-coming Texas singer Kristen Kelly, who recently had a hit with "Ex-Old Man," headlines the grandstand at 8 p.m. Friday, July 12. Darlington country duo Kyle Meylor and Rodney Kurschner open at 6:45 p.m.
The Badger State Tractor Pull is at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 13 for what Wilson describes as the "big brutes" of tractor pulling.
"If you like smoke from exhaust, that's the night to come," he said. Regular tractor pulls, with registration open to the public, are Thursday evening and Saturday at noon.
The FFA Rural Olympics - youth games such as rope-pulling, sack races and an egg toss - are at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 14. In a break from past years, the games will be held in the grandstand instead of the cattle barn, so more people can watch.
The Gauntlet and Trailer Races close out the fair at 6 p.m. Sunday. This demolition derby-type event is open to public registration.
"Anything just about goes," Wilson said, from pickup trucks to boats with outdoor toilets strapped on top. "We don't care what it is, as long as the glass is removed from it."