ATHENS, Ohio — Gates for the 170th Athens County Fair open at noon Friday, Aug. 1, at the 43-acre fairgrounds on West Union Street in Athens.
This year’s fair will feature “more rides and bigger entertainment,” according to Senior Fair Board Vice President Jeff Cox.
Some 14,000 people bought tickets at the gate in 2024, Cox said.
“We’re hoping for more than that this year,” Cox said.
Fair visitors have an impact on the local economy, Cox said, noting that the fair’s 300 camping spots are filled every year — and most people camp for all nine days.
Fair passes are available online, with an added 3% fee, or at the secretary’s office starting Friday, Aug. 1, 11 a.m.–8 p.m., and Aug. 2–3, 8 a.m–10 p.m.
The fair will feature 18 rides from Chicketti Family Amusements. The company will receive $7 from every $15 daily ticket and half of each $59 season pass, said Senior Board Treasurer Ben Abfall.
In addition, the board spent over $100,000 on grandstand entertainment this year, Cox said, including $18,000 for Diamond J Rodeo on Sunday, Aug. 3, and $20,000 to bring in Full Throttle Monster Trucks on Monday, Aug. 4.
“We lose money every year,” Cox admitted. He said the board hopes to eventually erect a multipurpose building it can rent out year-round to help them break even.
Golf carts will be available for people who have limited mobility from Saturday, Aug. 2, through Saturday, Aug. 9, according to Abfall. These carts are sponsored by area businesses and individuals and driven by volunteers, according to the fair’s website.
Major events
There will be many new and returning crowd-pleasing events. View the full schedule on the fair’s website.
Friday, Aug. 1
The rides will not be running the first day of the fair, but there will be other events like pari-mutual harness horse racing, market poultry and rabbit weigh-in, and a cornhole tournament.
Saturday, Aug. 2
Veterans get in free, with ID.
At 6 p.m. the fair will host outhouse races. There’s a kids class and an adults class, and any four-person team can sign up for the outhouse races. The teams must push their outhouse, with one team member inside, down the track and back.
The swivel wheels on the outhouses make the challenge even harder, Abfall said.
“If you get a crew of your buddies, come on down and win it,” Abfall said.
At 7 p.m. the fair will host a minivan and school bus demolition derby. The school bus derby debuted last year; the addition of minivans is a new development.
“All the schools in Athens County decorate up a bus for their school,” which the fair board bought for them, Cox said. There will be at least two rounds of races, then a final, he said. Cheering sections will be set up in the stands for the kids to root for their school.
There’s no entrance fee for the bus demolition derby.
Sunday, Aug. 3
9 a.m.: Garden tractor pull.
2–3:30 p.m.: Junior fair parade at the grandstands.
7 p.m.: Diamond J Rodeo.
Monday, Aug. 4
The newest, most exciting addition this year, Cox said, is Full Throttle Monster Trucks, including the iconic Bigfoot.
At least four trucks will race side-by-side at the grandstand at 7 p.m., Cox said, then the drivers will perform freestyle tricks.
Afterwards, visitors can pay an additional fee to ride in a monster truck.
“That’s a big deal to the kids, to be able to get in a monster truck and ride around,” Cox said.
Tuesday, Aug. 5
7 p.m.: MotoCross Fast Traxx off-road motorcycle racing at the grandstand.
Thursday, Aug. 7
7 p.m.: Demolition derby at the grandstand. There are seven classes. The last vehicle standing in each class will win $1,000, with second place winning $750, and third place winning $500.
Friday, Aug. 8
7 p.m.: KOI Drag racing, where “they race anything from a motorcycle to four-wheel drive trucks and buggies,” Cox said.
Saturday, Aug. 9
6–11 p.m.: Truck and tractor pulls.
9 p.m.: 4-H barn dance.
Renae Hefty is a junior at Ohio University. Hefty is a summer 2025 intern at Athens County Independent, with support from the Nonprofit Newsroom Internship Program created by the Scripps Howard Fund and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
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