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Support local youth at the 2024 Valencia County Fair
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BELEN — From livestock shows to live music, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy during this year’s Valencia County Fair.
The fair runs from Sunday, Aug. 18, to Sunday, Aug. 25 at the Valencia County Fairgrounds on the I-25 Bypass in Belen. The fair will feature several commercial and food vendors, shows and contests.
The Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce will also be sponsoring a Valencia County Fair parade at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 24. The theme of the parade is “Back to our Roots in Cowboy Boots” and it will take place on Main Street from Camino del Llano to Aragon Road in Belen.
Valencia County Fair Board President Lincoln Hill said county fairs, such as this one, are worth the visit because the events uphold many rich, longtime traditions that allow the community to share their talents with one another.
Hill said many 4-H and Future Farmers of America youth submit entries to the fair every year, so he especially invites the community to come out and support local youth who have been hard at work with their projects and animals.
“These programs they’re enrolled in teach them a lot of good, fundamental life skills and showing (their projects) is a way to display all the hard work they’ve put in,” said Hill.
Livestock shows begin Tuesday, Aug. 20, and will run through Thursday, Aug. 22. They will feature everything from steers and heifers to pygmy goats and rabbits. Then at 6 p.m. Aug. 24, the much anticipated junior livestock sale will take place.
Indoor exhibits are also popular, with categories ranging from all sorts of crafts including sewing, ceramics and paintings. Plant enthusiasts will also be happy to know that flowers, horticulture and arrangements will also be on display.
Hill said the top placers of the 4-H indoor exhibits will go on to be featured at the New Mexico State Fair.
A returning crowd favorite this year, Hill said, will be Ol’ Timer Showmanship taking place at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 22, which they began at last year’s fair.
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“It’s a little fundraiser we do. Basically, someone pays to enter you in for showmanship of either swine, goat or lamb and if you don’t want to do it, you have to pay to get back out,” he said. “The kids have fun with it because they’re getting to watch their parents show and yell at them telling them, ‘Hey, you’re doing wrong!’ So it’s fun to watch.”
The fun continues on Friday with an animal costume contest taking place at 4 p.m.
From 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, attendees will be treated to special performances by local musicians, including Daniel Solis and Shawn Brooks. Starting at 8 p.m. Friday, DJ Hot Shot Production will close out the night with some tantalizing tunes for folks to dance to.
If you missed out on the Friday performances, you will still have another chance to dance the night away on Saturday with NO Chaser performing from 4-7 p.m., and Jerry Dean Sanchez from 7-10 p.m. There will be a $5 per person admission fee for the performances on Friday and Saturday.
Do you or someone you know have the best chile around town? Put it to the test at the annual chile contest on Saturday. Chile submissions will be accepted from 12-2 p.m. and winners will be announced at 3 p.m.
There will also be lots for families and kids to enjoy on Saturday with a lineup of back-to-back events that will be sure to excite.
Then it’s off to the races with several unique events for kids to participate in, including a frog and turtle race, stick horse race and a fruit race, where children go out by age group and scoop up a variety of donated produce spread out over an area to take home.
Sunday, Aug. 25, is Senior Day at the fair and also the final day.
From 10-11 a.m., there will be a performance from the Valencia County Senior Olympic dancers, as well as a horse shoe tournament, which begins at 12 p.m., with registration taking place at 11 a.m.
