The Park County Fair opens fully today — some events have been going on since last week — and this year is even more special. 

This year marks 100 years of the county fair being held at the officially designated fairgrounds, which was initially a slice of land on the eastern edge of town.  The fair had previously bounced around various locations in Cody and Powell prior to 1926. 

It’s a big achievement — 100 years is no small feat. 

It’s interesting to see how the grounds have changed over the years, from initially featuring most prominently an old grandstand building and a large track used for horse racing. 

Now a smaller track is taken over mostly by drivers controlling a lot more than one horsepower each. 

Of course, this year’s milestone fair at the fairgrounds will feature more than the demolition derby, Figure 8 races and truck and tractor pulls at the grandstands. There’s also the traditional pig mud wrestling to start it all, and new this year, the local boxing club is rolling out its new ring for competition in front of the grandstands on Wednesday. 

That means no concert this year, and as I’ve previously said, I think it’s a good move. There’s still plenty of music on the free stage each day to whet the appetite of music lovers. And, while pretty much everyone I’ve talked to enjoyed last year’s concert, the hard truth is not nearly enough people attended to make it financially viable. 

That’s been the case for years now, and it may just be a sign that the fair should take some time off from grandstand concerts. Maybe an opportunity will come up in the next few years to get a big draw at a budget price, as was the case in the past (see Willie Nelson). But until then, maybe this is a good start in not continuing to try to make something work that just won’t. 

Of course, there’s much more than the grandstand and free stage events. There will also be the kids’ zone, beer garden, tons of drink and food vendors and more space again for exhibitors in Homesteader Hall now that the library’s new building is open. 

And who can forget the carnival, which will be going late into the night all week?

Most importantly, there are the animal shows and static exhibits, the true heart of county fairs, where youths — and adults — show off their animals or creations which display the many hours they’ve put in. 

My favorite part of the fair each year is watching youths show animals, whether they’re mastering the art of flipping a rabbit on its back, prodding forward a stubborn steer or finely trimming a  lamb ahead of competition. 

And I think about how many of our local winners will move on to the State Fair in Douglas and win even more success. One of my favorite memories is being at the fair office last year to witness the moment a local Powell man learned his beaded artwork had won top prize in Douglas. That kind of smile is what it’s all about.

Look for our biggest ever fair preview edition inserted in this issue.