The Navajo County Fair and Rodeo is this week with the theme Country Fans & Cattle Brands. The gates open Wednesday and the fair goes through Saturday (Sept. 14-17), at the fairgrounds located at 404 E. Hopi Drive in Holbrook. Opening ceremonies will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. Then on Thursday, the Demolition Derby will begin at 7 p.m., tickets are $15 at the gate and include fair admission. The Junior Livestock Sale will take place at 1 p.m. on Friday at the fairgrounds. Come and support local Junior Livestock exhibitors by attending the sale and buyer’s luncheon, which will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A Small Stock Sale will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, with a buyer’s luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The rodeo will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, with a pre-show beginning at 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, with a 6 p.m. pre-show. Pre-sale tickets are $12 and includes fair admission. At the gate entry is $15 for ages 6 and up including fair admission. The rodeo is a sanctioned GCPRA (Grand Canyon Professional Rodeo Associations) event. Little Buckaroo Rodeo will be held on Saturday, with gates opening at 9 a.m., mandatory meeting at 10:30 a.m., dummy roping at 11 a.m. and rodeo at 12 noon with mutton bustin’. Adult entry is $11, kids 6 to 12 are $8 and under 5 are free. Entry includes fair admission. Other events for the week of the fair include open class exhibits, the Jr. Miss Pageant, Frazier Shows Carnival, entertainment at the Main Stage and a live band following the rodeo featuring the Last Train to Juarez on Thursday night after the demolition derby and the Mark Miller Band on Friday and Saturday after the rodeos. There will also be a petting zoo and pony rides, Poppin’ Penelope, and puppeteer Joe Gandelman and Friends. General admission to the fair is $5 for those 6 and older. On Thursday, it’s senior and student day with a $3 admission for seniors 65 and older and students K-12. Friday it’s free general admission to all veterans and active duty sponsored by the Holbrook Kiwanis Club.
