Clay County Fair Kicks Off in Barnesville

Many people have been coming year after year

BARNESVILLE, Minn. — The Clay County Fair kicked off today, and it’s a well –loved tradition by many in the area.

Paul and Shellee Hansen, owners of Hansen’s Festival Concessions, have been involved with the fair for about 20 years, and they say many of the vendors are actually related to each other.

“I get to see the same people year after year. Kind of a, ‘Hi, how are you doing, how was your year?'” Shellee said.

That family–friendly feel is what organizers want people to experience.

“It’s kind of the old family fair. You see families of all ages, you see grandparents bringing their grandkids back to the fair,” James Kruize, a Clay County Fair board member, said.

The local 4-H also has plenty of activities with the fair, and that’s what draws some people back every year.

“Everyone’s really encouraging, and for people aren’t in 4-H, I think the rides would be the big thing, but come and see the animals, because maybe that’s something you don’t see if you live in the city,” Azahna Luschan, a fair attendee, said.

“There’s activities from my 3-year-old all the way to my 12-year-old. So that’s kind of cool. It’s close by, but it’s not going to be hard on the wallet,” Jodi Flaten, another attendee, said.

Vendors say there’s a lot people don’t usually think about.

“What people don’t think about when it comes to vendors is how much time we put in before the event starts. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into making a funnel cake or an order of cheese curds,” Erik Knutson, owner of the cheese curds/funnel cake and lemonade stands, said.

“Everywhere we go, whether it’s a fair, or any kind of festival, everybody’s there to have a good time. To be able to be a part of that, that’s pretty special and kind of a privilege. If we get to earn an income on top of that, not everybody gets to enjoy what they do for a living but we do,” Paul Hansen said.

The fair runs through Sunday, July 15.