fair goes beyond the agricultural nuts and bolts .
“ I think it adds a sense of place ,” Gunsaulis said . “ It helps people think about other people and connect with them . And there ’ s certainly an economic boost to the local economy while the fair is going on .”
Gunsaulis remembers showing at the Benton County Fair as a youngster . Fair week was a big deal in Bentonville , complete with a big parade .
“ The fairgrounds were just south of downtown Bentonville . I showed steers ,” he recalled . “ I remember a lot of us slept in the barn with our animals . There ’ d be a bunch of kids crashed out all over on straw bales . It was fun .” He said he still sees some of those childhood fair friends in his dealings in the county . And now he has the opportunity to see the next generation carry on the tradition .
“ Now that I ’ ve been able to have kids of my own show in the county fair , it has been very rewarding to see them have the same type experiences that I did growing up .”
Best of all , everyone can participate . You don ’ t have to live on a farm or raise livestock to be part of a county fair . Look for fair books at your local extension office detailing dozens of free classes to enter , or check the website of your county fair for online registration . From food preservation and gardening to robotics and art , the county fair offers it all .
120 Years - 1904-2024
A look back at the First Benton County Fair
The Benton County Fair was born in 1904 , in an era when land could be purchased for $ 5 an acre , an oak bedroom suite for $ 18 , and ice cream for 19 cents a dish . Bentonville ’ s economy relied heavily on apple exports ( the crop value exceeded $ 1 million in 1901 ) and the area was covered in thousands of acres of fruit orchards .
The fair was originally called the Benton County Free Fruit Fair and was held around the Benton County Courthouse and Downtown Square . A huge crowd gathered to see hundreds of exhibits , including canned fruits , jellies , preserves and wines , as well as farm and garden products , art , flowers , plants and needlework . Livestock was tied to the east side of buildings on the Square .
Then as now , the county fair was an opportunity for young people to display and win awards for a year ’ s worth of hard work , long hours and dedication to their projects in 4-H clubs .
There was a carnival and evening performances , which included highwire acts , a high-diving dog , a merrygo-round , ferris wheel , and more . Entertainment included a man driving a car around the Square blindfolded without hitting anyone or anything , and another person playing music on the rims of partially-filled water glasses . The Fruit Fair grew as Benton County developed , until the Square could no longer hold it . In 1940 , the Benton County Fair Association was established and purchased three acres for the new fairgrounds in order to make the fair bigger and better .
Horse races were also popular and when the fair moved to the fairgrounds , a race track was built across from the fairgrounds .
15 2024 Benton County Fair