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    The Hodag

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    Iron County Fair - Pig judging at fair

    Iron County Fair

    4.3(3 reviews)
    49.1 mi

    The best corned beef hash around! Our server was super attentive and the restaurant was super clean.read more

    Every year in mid-August, Iron County's fairground located on a back road north of the Iron River's…read moremain street district comes to life. For those of you who are city dwellers and never went to one of these fairs, let me break it down for you. The primary purpose of a fair is for the locals to compete in numerous categories: the best livestock (pigs, chickens, cows, horses, etc.), the best fruits and vegetables, floral arrangements, crafts (needlepoint or quilts usually), and then all the kids artwork done by the local 4H Club. The exhibit barn is symmetrically designed with a separate wing for pigs, goats and sheep, one for the cattle, one for the horses, and yet another for chickens, rabbits and smaller animals. The upper level is for the fruits, vegetables, crafts, and flowers. The judging area is a circular pen in the center of the barn, with seats arranged all around and an upper level viewing deck. Minus the rides and amusements, you can explore the whole fair easily in an hour. What I admire most are the kids who raised the animals, some of whom are just a few years older than my 5-year old son. You see the kids dressed in their best shirt and jeans, proudly leading their animal into the judging arena. The judge watches the animals and their appearance, their gait, and physical attributes. He then calls out the winners and what he likes about the particular animals. The winners are often purchased by the local grocery stores or meat shops, who display their name next to the market steer or lamb. For the non-winners, he offers advice on what they need to work on for the next year or what he found undesirable about the animals. Besides the competition, there's a carnival too, with all the rides and foods associated with carnivals, right down to the inbred-looking ride operators with bad teeth, fading blue tattoos and permanent sunburns. OK, so the rides are fun, but what better way to tell your kids about the importance of a good education so they don't end up like one of these guys. OK, so some of the rides are fun. This was the first year my 5 year old was able to go on some of them since he's tall enough. Iron County's fair is small compared to the one in Marquette or Dickinson County. However, for the 5 days it lasts, it is a point of pride all around town. On the Saturday night of the fair, the highlight is the Demolition Derby. In the days leading up to the derby, you begin to spot these beat-up junkers parked in driveways and lots around town. Then on the day of the derby, around mid-afternoon you'll see a procession of these cars rumbling towards the fairgrounds. By late afternoon, the town is shut down as everyone is at the fair. And just for a few hours, all the worries of everyday life disappear as the townspeople gather in the grandstand bleachers for the main event.

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    Iron County Fair - Pig judging

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    Pig judging

    The Hodag - localflavor - Updated May 2026

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