WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Waukesha County Fair, the first county fair of the season, opens Wednesday with food, rides and games for the whole family — but attendees will need to contend with a heat advisory in effect for Southeast Wisconsin.
WATCH: Waukesha County Fair opens today with rides, food, 4-H exhibits and heat tips
Chrissy Gluege, executive director of the Waukesha County Fair Association, says the fairgrounds have options to help visitors stay cool, including added fans, additional cooling stations and beverages available at every food stand.
"Between added fans, additional cooling stations this year and also people being smart and having readily available beverage at every food stand, there isn't a place where you can't get something to help you cool off and keep enjoying the fair," Gluege said.
Gluege encourages visitors to take breaks throughout their visit. The Revere Electric Supply Co. Forum Building on the fairgrounds offers an air-conditioned space with indoor activities.
Wednesday's deals: 3-2-1 Day
Starting Wednesday at noon, the fair is offering 3-2-1 Day — $3 admission, $2 parking and $3 per ride. The fairgrounds says rides typically cost between $3 and $7.50 each, meaning the savings grow with each higher-priced ride. The deal represents a savings of $15 before rides.
Daily deals and discounts throughout the week
- Thursday, July 16 — Fleet Farm Day (10 a.m. to 11 p.m.)
- Fleet Farm is offering 50% off adult admission — $7 — before 5 p.m. with a coupon.
- Visit the Muskego or Oconomowoc Fleet Farm Facebook page beginning July 15 for details and the coupon. Coupon must be presented at the gate to receive the discount.
- Seniors 62 and older receive $8 admission all day. The first 1,000 fairgoers through the gates will receive a special cooling towel courtesy of Fleet Farm.
- Friday, July 18 — St. Vincent de Paul Day (10 a.m. to midnight)
- Adult admission is 50% off — $7 — before 5 p.m. with a coupon. Donate to the Oconomowoc, Pewaukee or Waukesha St. Vincent de Paul locations beginning June 8 to receive a coupon while supplies last.
- Coupon must be presented at the gate to receive the discount.
- Saturday, July 18 — Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast (10 a.m. to midnight)
- Admission and parking before 11 a.m. are included with a $10 adult advance ticket or $7 youth advance ticket (ages 7 and under) for the 47th Annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast.
- Tickets are on sale June 1 through July 17 and are available from the Waukesha Noon Kiwanis Club.
- Sunday, July 19 — Beat the Clock (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
- Adult admission is $7 before 1 p.m., courtesy of the Skarda Family.
- Adult admission is $7 before 1 p.m., courtesy of the Skarda Family.
New food and classic exhibits
Six new food vendors are joining the fair this year, offering Mexican fusion, BBQ and sweet treats. Classic exhibits like the 4-H Kids Zone is also returning.
I had the chance to meet several 4-H participants — Holden, Grace, Aaditya, Brett, Peyton and Jayme — all excited to show off their projects to fairgoers.
Holden, a 4-H participant, said his projects span several categories.
"My main projects are photography, arts and crafts and cats," Holden said.
Grace Pett, another 4-H participant, is making the most of her remaining years in the program.
"So I have this year and then next year where I can still be judging and be a part of some things and then I will also be in the kids zone every day of the week as we'll be leading some crafts," Pett said.
Aaditya, a 4-H participant focused on STEM, encouraged fairgoers to look for his work at the Expo Center.
"I do a lot of mechanical science, all that STEM stuff. So if you go to the Expo center, you might see my name often around the mechanical sciences and that's STEM, legos," Aaditya said.
Brett, a 4-H participant, is showcasing poultry at the fair.
"We have chickens over there, um, that will be showed um based off of breed and how they look, along with some meat birds that we'll be auctioning off as a pair together," Brett said.
Peyton, a 4-H participant, is looking forward to showing animals and competing in a unique event.
"I'm actually really excited to start showing my animals, especially this year I can actually make some of the other performances when we hop rabbits on the stage," Peyton said.
Jayme, a 4-H participant, is juggling a full slate of animals and projects.
"I'm doing sheep, a rabbit, chickens and meat birds and then for my projects I'm doing a poster, legos, a knitting blanket," Jayme said.
More to know before you go
- Sensory Sensitive Afternoon: Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m.
- All-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast: Saturday for $10 per adult and $7 for youth ages 7 and under.
- Main Stage performances: Free with paid fair admission. A full schedule is available through the Waukesha County Fair.
- 4-H Schedule: A full schedule for Waukesha County 4-H events is available at the fairgrounds.
- Inclusive experiences and special attractions are also available throughout the week.
The Waukesha County Fair runs through Sunday, July 19.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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