Live music, a tractor pull and ATV races highlight the 141st annual Marquette County Fair, set to begin next week at the fairgrounds in Westfield.

New to this year's fair, which runs Thursday through July 12, is a truck and car show scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m. July 11 and an Ag Olympics that starts at 1 p.m. July 11.

"The Ag Olympics is a competition amongst small groups doing farm-related activities such as throwing hay bales and pushing a wheelbarrow," said Marquette County Fair Board President Patricia Wagner.

Wagner said another change the fair board made this year was to hold the 32nd annual pedal pull at noon July 12 instead of having it on Saturday morning as with past fairs.

"Otherwise this year's fair is pretty much the same as past years," Wagner said.

Judging for 4-H and open class entries begins Wednesday. The horse speed show, horse pleasure show as well as the rabbit, meat goat, sheep and swine judging are scheduled for Thursday.

Also Thursday, the rock band Road Trip will make a return appearance to the fair from 8 p.m. to midnight in the highway building.

This year's Fairest of the Fair will be crowned at 8 p.m. Thursday.

July 10 kicks off with beef judging at 9 a.m. followed by a senior citizens program in the exhibit building at 10 a.m. Poultry judging will take place in the afternoon. The day will conclude with the annual Youth Meat Animal Auction in the livestock show barn and a tractor pull sponsored by Faivre Implement Inc. in the grandstand. Both events begin at 7 p.m.

Oxford native Maggie Mae will provide live country musicentertainment from 6 to 10 p.m. July 11 at the highway building. Judging of dairy animals as well as the cat and dog shows and the "Mighty Mights" Calf Showmanship are also scheduled for July 11. The fair's first Ag Olympics will get under way at 1 p.m., followed by the demolition derby at 4 p.m.

On July 12, there will be a mud volleyball tournament at 9 a.m., with the pedal pull and ATV races beginning at noon. The fair concludes with the Parade of Champions at 1 p.m.

The carnival for this year's fair will be provided by Chippewa Valley Rides. Thursday will be Family Day with dollar rides from 4 to 8 p.m. Wristbands will be available for purchase the other three days of the fair during the following hours: 1 to 5 p.m. July 10, 6 to 10 p.m. July 11, and 1 to 5 p.m. July 12. Wristbands cost $15 and can be purchased at the fair.

"Our fair has a free gate, but we ask for a $2 donation to park to help maintain the parking lot," Wagner said.

While admission to the fair is free, there is a fee to attend the grandstand events: Tickets to Road Trip cost $10; admission to the tractor pull and demolition derby each cost $10 for ages 12 and older, $10 for ages 5-12 and children 5 and younger are free. There is a $5 cost to view Maggie Mae and a $5 fee for adults to attend the ATV races.

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