The Elkhart County 4-H Fair Opens Friday, and My Diet Has Filed for Unemployment
There are certain signs that summer has reached its loud, sweaty, deep-fried peak. The days are long. The air feels thick enough to spread on toast. Every road construction project in Indiana appears to be happening simultaneously. And somewhere in Goshen, a teenager is trying to persuade a 1,200-pound steer to cooperate using nothing but a rope, determination, and the strained patience of someone who has been awake since before sunrise. That can mean only one thing: the Elkhart County 4-H Fair is back. The gates officially open Friday, July 24, launching nine days of animals, rides, concerts, competitions, community traditions, questionable food decisions, and the annual realization that I am no longer physically qualified to ride anything that spins in two directions at once. The 2026 fair runs through Saturday, August 1, at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds in Goshen. Opening day is being promoted as “$5 First Friday,” which means admission costs five dollars and more than 30 parti...
