Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-09-09
REVIEW EDITOR TELLS
OF 1921 STATE FAIR
Best Fair Of Years But County
Exhibits POor-Fair Board
Makes Mistake Holding
Show in August

After spending five days of last
week at the state fair we are in a
position to say that it was probably
the best fair in many respects, of any
ever held at the state fair grounds
The entries and exhibits in all DEPART
ments with the exception of this
years agricultural products was far
superior to all other fairs. This was
especially true in the live stock de-
partments, and the quality was of the
best. The agricultural farm machinery
and everything used by the farmer
covered fifty acres of ground accord
ing to officials and was well worth
seeing and attracted many visitors.
The automobile and truck show was
very large and one of the most
creditable to be seen anywhere. Agri-
cultural displays were not up to stan
dard owing to the drought that pre-
vailed all over the state this year, and
again because of the earliness Of the
dates There were some fine exhibits
OF grains grown last year and some
excellent shOwiEgs of fruit. Twenty
one counties were represented in the
county contest and Forest county. the
only one from the extreme northern
part OF the state made good appear
ance although nothing like what it
would have been had the fair been
neld late enough to enable it to have
shown all its matured crops. It east
ly took the cake on potatoes. AS a
rule, all potatoes shown would be
cIassed as hog feed by Villas county
growers or in any other potato grow
ing districts. The men in charge of
the exhibits did not claim any thing
for their potato exhibits and only
brought them to complete the entries
necessary if showing for main place.
The carnival and amusement fea-
lures were many, comprising a good
sized town in area and seemingly well
patronized. The attractions provided
by the fair every day in front of the
grand stand were very good and the
airplane stunts by Al Wilson's flying
circus was indeed thrilling. His pro-
gram included rising in a plane to s.
900 feet above the ground and com
ing down by means of parachute.
Another feat which daily called forth
much applause would be when he
changed from one plane to another
high up in the air.
The racing program was extremely
good and the track record broken on
the opening day and every heat of
the week was stepped close to the
200 minute mark
From an attendance and financial
point the fair was not success
One cause was that the week on
which it was held made it irlposs-
ible for many farmers to leave silo
filling and many other pressing duties
which the last week of August annual
ly brings forth The fair officials
however, do not cOncede this, and
prefer to cater to the convenience of
horsemen and live stock exhibitors
who wish to make circuit of state
fairs. 1t is very fair to the majority
who by the way are standing most
of the expense, and who we hope will
sometime be able to convince the
fair management of the mistake they
have made for the past two years in
holding the fair during the week just
ended. 1t is hard for the southern
county farmer as it prevents him
from attending, and northern counties
are affected through the impossibility
of exhibiting their crops. Another
cause of the poor attendance was due
to the great number of unemployed
in cities and manufacturing towns.
Thousands of people who last year pat
ronized the fair, this year had no
money to spend on luxuries of that
kind
Villas County Fair Sept. IA and 49,