Chelan County Fair returns Sept. 4–7: Concerts, PRCA rodeo and four days of fair fun

CASHMERE — The Chelan County Fair is back at the Expo Center in Cashmere Sept. 4–7 with four days of rodeo, music, food, exhibits, and all the things that make a local fair feel like home. This year’s theme is “Mad About the Fair.”

A new touch this year: the rodeo arena now carries a new name — the Cindy Fowler Memorial Arena — honoring the longtime fair board member and rodeo supporter whose 14 years of leadership helped shape the fair’s western identity. The dedication ensures her contributions are front and center when the arena fills with cheers.

Big shows & daily entertainment

The fair includes two free evening concerts with admission:

• Boy Band Review — Thursday, 7:30 p.m. (doors 6:30 p.m.)

Boy Band Review is ‘NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, O-Town, 98 Degrees, Boyzone and all of the other ‘90s boy bands you remember, all rolled into one. Go back to the heady days of bleached tips, bucket hats, chiseled jaws and handsome guys singing all about how much they love you.

• Matt Stell with special guest Jessie Leigh — Friday (main show 7:30–9 p.m.; Jessie Leigh also plays a late set in the beer garden)

Platinum country recording artist Matt Stell broke onto the scene in 2018 with his hit single “Prayed For You,” and has released 9 studio, live and EP records. Born in Arkansas, Matt’s a country boy through and through, and has opened for Eric Church and Luke Bryan. With over 360 million streams on Spotify and 33 million views of his hit single on YouTube, Stell brings young country to Cashmere in a big way.

Rodeo action is PRCA and included with admission: Saturday, 7 p.m. (Patriotic Night) and Sunday, 1 p.m. (Wear Pink Day).

Across the grounds each day you’ll find rotating acts like Reptile Isle, the Fiddlin’ Brothers, Jim Bryant, line dancing with Epic Motion, and more — plus the 4-H Style Show Sunday afternoon.

4-H, FFA & Grange: Daily highlights

Watch 4-H and FFA students show beef, swine, goats, sheep, poultry, and rabbits, then swing through the exhibit halls for quilting, canning, baking, photography, crafts, floriculture, and horticulture. Here are the youth-ag highlights by day (times subject to change):

Thursday (Sept. 4)

• 9 a.m. — Knowledge Bowl (4-H Building); Goat Type/Market; Swine Type/Market; Beef Type/Market
  
  
• 10 a.m. — Still Life judging (4-H Building)
  
  
• 1 p.m. — Sheep Type/Market
  
  
• 3 p.m. — Poultry Fitting & Showing
  
  
• 5 p.m. — Rabbit/Cavy Fitting & Showing Contest
  
  
• 6 p.m. — Small Animal Round Robin (following Rabbit & Cavy)
  
  
• 4–8 p.m. — 4-H Demonstrations
  
  

Friday (Sept. 5)

• 6–9 a.m. — All-Youth Clean Fairgrounds
  
  
• 9 a.m. — Swine, Goat and Beef Fitting & Showing (rings running concurrently)
  
  
• 10 a.m. — Knowledge Bowl (4-H Building)
  
  
• 1 p.m. — Sheep Fitting & Showing; Foods Contests (4-H Building)
  
  
• ~4 p.m. — Round Robin (one hour after last Fitting & Showing species)
  
  
• 4–8 p.m. — 4-H Demonstrations
  
  

Saturday (Sept. 6)

• 6–9 a.m. — All-Youth Clean Fairgrounds
  
  
• 9 a.m. — Fur & Feather Auction
  
  
• 10 a.m. — Livestock Auction; Knowledge Bowl (4-H Building)
  
  
• 1–5 p.m. — 4-H Demonstrations (see 4-H Building schedule)
  
  
• 2 p.m. — Rabbit Judging Contest
  
  
• 3 p.m. — Poultry CDE
  
  

Sunday (Sept. 7)

• 9–11 a.m. — Tractor Driving CDE
  
  
• 10 a.m.–noon — Knowledge Bowl (4-H Building); Demonstrations; Horse Judging; Garden CDE
  
  
• 12:30 p.m. — Livestock Judging Contest
  
  
• 2 p.m. — Pet Talent & Costume Show
  
  
• 3 p.m. — 4-H Style Show (Main Stage)
  
  
• 4–5 p.m. — All-Youth Clean Up (Sasseen Lot)
  
  

Exhibits, food & vendors

In the exhibit halls, community members show off quilts, canning, baking, photography, crafts, and floral design. Produce displays highlight the valley’s fruit and vegetables. Outside, the midway brings the classics — corn dogs, curly fries, funnel cakes, cotton candy, fresh-squeezed lemonade — alongside local flavors: BBQ sandwiches, homemade pies from Friends of the Fair, and FFA milkshakes.

If you go

• Dates: Thu–Sun, Sept. 4–7
  
  
• Where: Chelan County Expo Center, 5700 Wescott Drive, Cashmere
  
  
• Admission (daily): Family (2 adults + up to 3 students) $40; Adult $12; Senior (62+) $8; Student (6–17, or 18 with HS ASB) $8; under 5 free
  
  
• Season passes: Adult $27; Senior $18; Student $18
  
  
• Parking: Free
  
  
• Special days:
  
  
• Senior Citizen Day — Thu, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (seniors 62+ free)
  
  
• Kids “Agrication” Day — Fri, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. (kids free in organized groups; one adult per five youth free, others pay adult rate)
  
  
• County Day — Sat
  
  
• Family Day — Sun (buy one carnival armband, get the second for $19)
  
  
• Carnival armbands: Thu $40 (2–11 p.m.); Fri $40 (2–11 p.m.); Sat $40 (11 a.m.–11:30 p.m.); Sun $20 (11 a.m.–6 p.m.). Armbands stop selling 1½ hours before closing; rides generally take one ticket per ride.
  
  
• Concerts & rodeo: Included with fair admission (no separate ticket).

You can get further information on the Fair’s website at chelancountyfair.com.

Schedules can change — check posted programs on the fairgrounds for day-of updates.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media