The Daily Standard
Story Archive
A mother and daughter beam with excitement at the 2025 Mercer County Fair.
CELINA - About 100,000 locals and visitors are expected to enjoy another exciting week of endless entertainment, delicious fair food, local livestock shows and agriculture exhibits, and further activities for all ages at the 174th Mercer County Fair Aug. 13-19.
This year's fair, themed "The Heart of the County," is set to include a host of new attractions along with plenty of familiar favorites.
Those include performances from Bob Seger tribute band Forever Seger and country musician Jake Owen at the grandstand; various strolling acts throughout the week; and thrilling attractions like a motocross show from Twin Stunts, a farm-themed magic show from Jon LaChance and a dog stunt show from Aim High Canines, all week long.
"We'll have the farm show, and Twin Stunts behind Market Hall - that'll be a motorcycle type of show. Aim High Canines - they will be doing cool tricks with their dogs," fair marketing and PR coordinator Rachel Ungruhn said Thursday at a special preview event for media. "Plant guy will be hidden around the fairgrounds. I'm really excited (about having) him because every year when we see him at convention, he ends up scaring one of us if we don't even know it. He's so good at what he does. He is disguised as a plant and he'll stand there and he looks like a plant. I can't wait to see the videos that come out from this guy."
Also returning for the week is David Garrad at the Cornerstone Chapel, whose unique mix of magic and music is sure to entertain fairgoers of all ages. Nearby at the chapel, the Salsa Steel Drum Band will perform a variety of tunes with their own steel drum twist throughout fair week.
"They'll be banging on drums, getting people's attention and getting them into the Cornerstone Chapel," Ungruhn said.
Riders soar through the air as a carnival ride spins at full speed during the 2025 Mercer County Fair.
In the grandstand, Forever Seger is slated to take the stage on the fair's opening night, Aug. 13, while Owen will headline the fair's annual country concert Aug. 14, with support from local favorites 127 North.
Known for "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," one of 10 career No. 1 hits, Owen has released 10 albums. The recording artist, headlining entertainer and actor has headlined tours across the world and appeared in the movie "Our Friend," according to a news release.
Tickets for the show were over 70% sold out as of Thursday, Ungruhn said.
"It is a very good crowd so far. We're very happy with the promotions and everything that came from that. Saturday will be the demolition derby again coming back - that has been on Saturday the last few years and it's been very successful turnout - usually a sold-out grandstand," she said. "Then Sunday will be harness racing and a new event is a rodeo. Sunday night will be the rodeo in front of the grandstand, with grandstand seating being $5, a very family-friendly event for kids to come out and enjoy. Tuesday is the veteran ceremony and tractor pulls. And then Wednesday is the high school band show."
For the first time, Ungruhn said the special discount days for veterans, senior citizens and nursing homes will be combined into one day on Aug. 18, with kids day set for Aug. 19.
The combined discount day on Aug. 18 will be organized into three time periods for each group: nursing home residents in the morning, seniors in the afternoon and veterans in the evening.
"The morning will (feature) nursing home activities in the entertainment tent. They'll have donuts and water provided by the nursing homes. The afternoon is senior citizens' activities. In the past, anyone 60 or older could go to the tent and get a bagged lunch, which was like a cold meat sandwich, chips and a cookie. This year we are giving them $10 food vouchers. This will allow them to go support the vendors rather than us providing them food," Ungruhn said. "The $10 food vouchers will be treated as cash. If they go to the pork producer stand and their sandwich is only $5, they'll get a $5 bill back. Thankfully our generous sponsors came in to cover the cost of those $10 food vouchers. … And then the evening we'll follow with the veteran ceremony at the grandstands and bean soup at the veterans tent."
Attendees should come hungry, as both new and established food vendors will be serving up tasty fair food.
"We have a lot of new food vendors this year that we are really excited to have. Starting off strong with a very food vendor name is Fat Daddyz Finger Foodz. He will have all the fried foods, the cheese curds, all of the good fair food," Ungruhn said. "Continuing along with Fizzy Sips, which is a local vendor from Celina. They offer energy drinks, coffees, all of those things."
Returning from 2020's limited fair is Fraizer Fair Foods, along with fair regulars C-Town Wings, Unity Grange, Hopewell Grange, Mikesell's Concessions and Mercer County Pork Producers.
"We've been trying to get (Fraizer Foods) back since 2020, and he's finally made it work with his route. He has this trailer and he serves the sirloin tip dinners, so that is where I will be all week long," Ungruhn said.
Other newbies will be Lip Smackin Wings, Little Piggies, 202 Tavern, Travelin' Tom's Coffee and 224 Treats.
"I also like to point out that the 2025 Food Competition winner was Amy's Melt Bar. I think last year, or two years ago, they were new and they swept away the competition," she said. "Their food is very good and they're located across from the grandstands."
At the 2026 Mercer County Fair, breeding beef and horses will move to the newly constructed 175-foot-by-400-foot Grand Event Center on the northwest side of the fairgrounds. It will be the facility's first event since phase 1 was completed earlier this year.
This year's fair will also include a couple of location changes within the livestock barns.
Breeding beef and horses will move to the newly constructed 175-foot-by-400-foot Grand Event Center on the northwest side of the fairgrounds. It will be the facility's first event since phase 1 was completed earlier this year.
At the 2026 Mercer County Fair, poultry exhibitors will move to the former 4-H horse barn near the Grand Event Center.
At the 2026 Mercer County Fair, poultry exhibitors will move to the former 4-H horse barn near the Grand Event Center.
Poultry exhibitors were also moved, and will be located in the former 4-H horse barn near the Grand Event Center.
The Mercer County Fair is located at the fairgrounds at 1001 W. Market St., Celina. Admission gate hours are 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 13-19. From Aug. 13-15, adult admission is $10; it drops to $8 from Aug. 16-19. Children aged 8 and under get in free.
More information is available at mercercountyohiofair.com.
