Less-than-fair weather doesn’t stop Washington County Fair

Written by Cami Cox Jim
August 11, 2016

HURRICANE – The Washington County Fair officially opened at the Washington County Regional Park in Hurricane Wednesday night. And despite ominous clouds threatening the festivities and lightning dancing overhead, the show went on, and hundreds of visitors enjoyed booths, rides…and even live monkeys.

Lightning threatens the fun, but the Washington County Fair goes on. Hurricane, Utah, Aug. 10, 2016 | Photo by Cami Cox Jim, St. George News
Lightning threatens the fun, but the Washington County Fair goes on, Hurricane, Utah, Aug. 10, 2016 | Photo by Cami Cox Jim, St. George News

“If the lightning and the rain get too close, and it starts raining here, all our high rides will shut down,” six-year carnival worker Jesus De La Cruz, of Tucson, Arizona, said.

High winds can also halt certain carnival rides, he said. The rides stay inactive until the storm or unsafe conditions pass.

The heavens didn’t rain down Wednesday night, however, and the winds remained calm, so all of the rides and attractions were able to continue uninterrupted.

A little boy imitates the ape at a gorilla exhibit. Hurricane, Utah, Aug. 10, 2016 | Photo by Cami Cox Jim, St. George News
A little boy imitates the ape at a gorilla exhibit, Hurricane, Utah, Aug. 10, 2016 | Photo by Cami Cox Jim, St. George News

The theme of this year’s fair, which continues through Saturday, is “More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys,” and that isn’t just a whimsical title. A live show called “Wild About Monkeys” featuring trained baboons plays nightly at the fair, as does an interactive gorilla exhibit called “Wild About Gorillas.”

This year’s fair also features the James Cristy Cole Circus, the Aerial Assault Extreme Trampoline Show, lots of live entertainment and of course, the traditional bevy of vendor booths, exhibits and those famous carnival rides.

The Washington County Regional Park is located at 5500 West 700 South in Hurricane, just off state Route 9. Admission to the fair is free, though there is a small charge for parking, and admission fees must be paid for some of the individual exhibits and attractions within the fair.

The fair exhibits open daily at 11 a.m., and the carnival rides open daily at 4 p.m. The annual Washington County Fair Parade will take place Saturday at 9 a.m. on Tabernacle Street in St. George.

For a full schedule of events, see the Washington County Fair website.

Event details:

  • What: Washington County Fair “More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys”
  • When: Daily through Saturday, Aug. 13
  • Where: Washington County Regional Park, 5500 West 700 South, Hurricane, Utah
  • Details: Schedule of events | Telephone: 435-652-5899 | Facebook

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cami Cox Jim got her start in journalism way back in third grade, when she published a crayon-and-pencil classroom newspaper in Mrs. Gifford’s class. She’s been a professional journalist (the kind that gets paid) since 2005. Cami and her husband don’t have any “real” children yet, so for now Cami takes in stray animals, unofficially adopts other people’s kids and maintains high hopes for her own children (of the two-legged variety) to come along in the future.

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2 Comments

  • RealMcCoy August 11, 2016 at 2:02 pm

    I think this article needs another dozen or so pictures…

  • .... August 12, 2016 at 12:02 am

    If they added more pictures then people would think this is an article about the Hillary / Donald circus

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