The fair provides local residents and out-of-towners alike with the opportunity to take a step back in time and experience life the way it once was in rural Utah. The old-fashioned celebration features some of the many county fair traditions started decades ago. It also preserves the culture and heritage of Sanpete County and celebrates the area s unique rural history.

Highlights of this year s fair include horse and cattle shows, royalty contests, rodeos, pet shows, barbershop quartets and a cowboy poetry concert. The King Cowboy, Richard Nielson, a longtime member of the Sanpete Cattlemen s Association, will preside over the annual event.

Festivities get underway Saturday, Aug. 14, with the Miss Sanpete County scholarship pageant at 7 p.m. in the Manti High School auditorium at 7 p.m. Cost is $6. The junior princesses have already been selected. They are: Hayley Rasmussen, 9, second attendant; Bailey Olsen, 11, first attendant; and princess Brianne Alder, 11.

Thursday, Aug. 19 there will be a 4-H fashion show at the Manti City Building auditorium at 6 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 23 there will be a Junior Buckle Rodeo for youth ages 6-17 at 6 p.m. at the Manti fairground s K arena. At 7 p.m., there will be a cowboy poetry contest at Manti High School featuring some of the best cowboy poets and singers in the nation. Cost is $4.

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, there will be a 7 p.m. barber shop quartet concert in the Manti High School auditorium. The event features the Utah Valley Chapter of the Skyline Chorus of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. Admission is $3.

The fair s Exhibition Building will be open Wednesday, Aug. 25 from 4 to 7 p.m. featuring produce, baked goods, flowers, crafts and other displays. The midway carnival also opens on Wednesday at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., there will be a Farm Bureau Talent Find at 7 p.m. at the Ephraim Middle School.

The Exhibition Building will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26 and every other day of the fair. Small animal judging will also begin that day at 10 a.m. At 1 p.m. the market lamb fitting and showmanship will be held. A local talent show will be held in the exhibition building from 4 to 6 p.m.

One of the highlights of the fair, the annual Demolition Derby, will be held at 7 p.m. Reserved seating tickets go on sale at the Sanpete County Exhibition office on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $10 each and there is a limit of 10 tickets per person. General admission tickets are available the day of the derby for $7.

Fair events on Friday, Aug. 27, begin with bucket, calf fitting and showmanship at 9 a.m. and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there will be an antique tractor and equipment show featuring old farm equipment.

The Pet Show, which is celebrating its 27th year, will begin at 11 a.m. and feature pets of all shapes and sizes. A Dutch oven cook-off will be held from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Big Air Extreme Motorcycle Show will begin at 3, 4, and 5 p.m. The show features professional freestyle riders performing stunts 40 to 60 feet in the air.

>From 4 to 7:30 p.m. there will be a local talent show, followed by a 5 p.m. lamb, swine and beef sale. At 6 p.m., Cruise Night featuring antique and show cars will begin on Main Street in Manti.

>From 7 to 8 p.m. there will be entertainment featuring Lu Don and Sound QWEST followed by the Broken Heart Rodeo family night at 8 p.m. Cost for an entire family is just $25. The cost of rodeo tickets for single ticket purchase and for subsequent performances is $7 for grand stand seating, $6 for adults general admission, $4 for children and $3.50 for seniors.

Events on Saturday, Aug. 28 include a 7 a.m. fun run at the Manti High School track, followed by the annual EMT breakfast at 8 a.m. and a rooster crowing contest at the small animal barn.

At 9 a.m. the 4-H goat show will begin. At 10 a.m., there will be a car show in front of exhibition building and the BLM Wild Horse Adoption North East of the rodeo grounds.

Other fair events beginning at 10 a.m. include mud volleyball, the local talent show and the antique tractor and farm equipment show.

At noon, there will be beef producers dinner in front of the Exhibition Building.

>From 12:30 to 1 p.m. a clown show class featuring Willie the Clown will be held. At 1 p.m. the best draft horse teams in the U.S. will be featured in an old-fashioned horse pulling match. The teams are much like those used a century ago to do farm work and weigh from 3,000 to 5,200 pounds.

At 2 p.m. there will be a mud scramble for cash and prizes for children ages 3 to 10 and at 3 p.m. a pie eating contest will be held in the Exhibition Building. At 4 p.m. car show awards will be presented.

The annual Mammoth Parade will be held on Main Street at 5 p.m. featuring floats and musical performances. Evening events include performances by Lu Don and Sound QWEST, followed by the Broken Heart Rodeo at 8 p.m.

Prior to the fair, there will be an Open Horse Show held at the Manti fair grounds. More than 30 categories. The competition will feature halter classes and showmanship classes for youth. Performance classes will include the lead line, walk trot, Western Pleasure and horsemanship divisions. There will also be trailer races, egg races, boot races, barrels poles and an obstacle course.