TIFFIN, Ohio — It's french fries and fair rides season across the state.
While Seneca County was able to hold a nearly full fair in 2020, organizers are thrilled to offer more this year.
The 179th Seneca County Fair kicked off Monday and despite the heat these first two days, plenty of people came out for some food, rides, music, and of course the livestock showings.
After a smaller fair last year with no grandstand events, organizers decided in June to schedule a full week of events for this year.
"We were a little more prepared because of what we did the year before," said Bruce Heeney, fair president. "We kind of had more stuff planned and we were ready to go as soon as [Gov. Mike DeWine] lifted all the mandates and everything else for crowds and things like that."
And one of the newer events to the fair, now in its third year, is the Jodie Depinet Rainey livestock show. The event partnered with the Special Olympics.
For this livestock show happening on Saturday, 4-H exhibitors are partnered with a county resident with a physical or mental disability and introduce them to the process of showing animals.
And for one young man, this initiative sparked a new interest.
"He ended up carrying a bunny through the show. And now he is a 4-H member and is exhibiting a rabbit at this fair for this year," said Emily Gilliland, organizer for the Seneca County Junior Fair.
The Jodie Depinet Rainey livestock show starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, and the fair runs through Sunday.
