August 4-7th at the Iowa Events Center in Mason City

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

The tail end of summer can be a bit of a doozy.  Siblings have hit their limit with one another, finding new ways to fight about absolutely nothing.  Parents are stressed to the gills, trying to squeeze in the last bit of summer memories for their children while simultaneously preparing for the start of school.

We have all heard, “I’m bored” so many times, it goes in one ear and out the other these days.

One bright spot in the restless final days of summer is the North Iowa Fair.

Held at the North Iowa Events Center on the west side of Mason City, it’s sort of like the ‘last hurrah’ of summertime fun before school starts!  The gates open Thursday, August 4th with a jam-packed schedule of fun planned through August 7th.

And the best part?  Most of the activities are FREE to the public!

Some of the entertainment includes Gypsy Rattlecan, performance spray paint artist that travels the country, usually with his trusty pug sidekick Gypsy, leaving a trail of artwork in their wake.  You can also catch a Cowboy Mounted Shooting show on Friday and Saturday at 2:00pm.

And what kid can pass up bouncing fun on the inflatables?

Friday, August 5th, is a concert by The Pork Tornadoes! This FREE musical event is brought to you by the North Iowa Events Center! The Pork Tornadoes take the stage at 8:00pm. The beer garden will open at 5:00pm on the West side of the Olson! Come on out and give this incredible cover band a big North Iowa welcome!

Of course, you’ll also want to stroll through the various buildings to check out the exhibits and entries from the public.  The Iowa State Extension, 4-H groups and the local FFA Chapters will also have livestock and other fair projects to check out.

And of course, no trip to the fair is complete without one of everything from the delectable “fair food” smorgasbord, am I right?  It’s not officially “fair week” until we’ve all filled ourselves with corn dogs and walking tacos!

The Mason City Motor Speedway will have events running Thursday, Friday and Sunday this year.  All your favorites like school bus races, trailer races, and the stockcar features are on the schedule.  Friday night is the spectator drag races, where locals can race street cars and street trucks.  Do you think you have the fastest vehicle in the Mason City area? Head on out to the fair grounds and try your luck Friday night. Prizes will be awards to the top four places:  1. $300 2. $200 3. $100 4. $100.

The North Iowa Fair is basically just a buzz of activity from start to finish.  Think of it as “your one stop shop” to have all the fun this weekend!  Here is a detailed list of activities for each day.                                                   

For more information be sure to follow the North Iowa Fair on Facebook. Or check out their website at www.northiowaeventscenter.org.