IONIA, Mich. — The Ionia Free Fair opens its gates this week for a fairground full of family fun.
The fair lasts from Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, July 20. It's free to get in, but bring money for parking and other attractions. Parking is $10 a day. Fair food will of course also be on sale from a variety of vendors.
An interactive map of the fairgrounds is available here.
There will be all sorts of exciting things going on this year. A number of themed days are planned, including Dog Day and Kids Day. On Dog Day, visitors can bring their pooch to the fairgrounds for a day full of dog-centric activities. For a full list of event days, click here.
Animals are always a big part of the Free Fair. This year, a live sea lion show will happen several times each day. You can also visit with members of Ionia County 4-H. The Miracle of Life program will bring farm animals bred to deliver sometime during the fair's run, giving visitors a chance to watch a live birth.
Monster Truck Throwdown, a live truck extravaganza, will be back for two nights. Tickets for the Friday and Saturday night shows are still available at the fairgrounds.
Super Kicker Rodeo, a bull riding and barrel racing show, will happen Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. in the grandstands.
Tickets for the monster truck show and rodeo are both $13 for adults and $10 for children each. Both can be purchased at the fairgrounds.
Looking for a killer night out? Live music will also have a presence at the fair in 2019. Several spirited acts are planned, including several cover bands, have shows planned. Those include a 90's music celebration, a KISS cover band and a Journey cover band.
The annual Ionia Idol singing competition is back for 2019 as well. For information on how to enter the competition, click here. The event takes place over four days.
For a full list of events planned for the Free Fair and when they are happening, click here.
