Rich Tobiasz, vice president of the McHenry County Fair Association, said the highlight for him will be the 21-Tractor Salute on Sunday, recognizing all McHenry County residents who lost their lives while serving in the military. (Photo courtesy of the McHenry County Fair Association)

The McHenry County Fair will celebrate its diamond anniversary at its current home next week and event organizers want all area residents to join the party.

“We have something for everyone,” said Rich Tobiasz, vice president of the McHenry County Fair Association.

The six-day event, which kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 1, will feature everything from alpacas to wrestlers at the Woodstock fairgrounds.

“This is a big deal. It’s our 75^th year at this site,” Tobiasz said. “We had fairs back to 1854 when farmers displayed animals in downtown Woodstock, but then we took 30 years off due to the World Wars and other things.”

Tobiasz said that the event is a throwback to an early time.

“The McHenry County Fair is what people remember as an old country fair. There are animals galore,” he said. “We have cows, horses, pigs, rabbits, even alpaca.”

Diane Hellyer, the fair’s general office manager, said the 75^th anniversary event will include a Fair Food Challenge.

“Vendors are encouraged to make a new treat with a twist and there will be three categories: Drink, Sweet or Savory,” Hellyer said.

Judging will take place at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Entertainment Tent; and prizes will be awarded in each category. Vendors will then be able to sell their new creation during the fair.

Tobiasz noted that there will be a big 4-H Club presence during the six-day event. He said that 4-H members will showcase their skills in rocketry, baking, rock-collecting and other interests.

“It’s not just for agriculture,” Tobiasz said of the club.

The fair association’s vice president has been involved with the organization for 40 years. A Chicago native, Tobiasz has been a resident of Spring Grove since 1968. The vegetable farmer has been on the Fair Association Board for 15 years, the last seven as vice president.

He said a highlight of the event for him will be the 21-Tractor Salute on Sunday, recognizing all McHenry County residents who lost their lives while serving in the military.

“It’s hard to get through it sometimes,” he said regarding the reading of the names of fallen McHenry County military personnel.

Along with pro wrestling on Aug. 3, the fair will feature seven decades of music, with five bands playing each night.

“We are going back to the ’50s and ’60s and going all the way up to the present,” Tobiasz said. “… For one price, you can listen to all five bands or just the one you want to hear.”

Hellyer noted that the event will include a building dedication for McHenry County resident and retired agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson and a road dedication for Charles Beard, longtime leader of the county’s 4-H organization and former vice president of the Fair Association. Both dedications will take place at 5 p.m. Aug. 2 in Hansen Pavilion.

Also during the Wednesday dedications, any farm or farmer in the county for 75 years will also be recognized.

Tobiasz said city dwellers can get a better sense of the food process by visiting the fair.

“We try to show people where their food comes from,” he said. “It may end up at the local grocery store, but how does it get there?

“It’s a chance to be outside, and you can talk with a farmer showing his cow and you can talk with him about how the cow is raised naturally.”

For information about the fair, go to https://mchenrycountyfair.com/