Fair Parade set for Friday morning
(Seguin) — Family fun continues these next three days during the annual Guadalupe County Fair and PRCA Rodeo. The fair runs through Sunday at the Guadalupe County Fairgrounds. Friday’s schedule kicks off with the annual fair parade. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will travel south on Austin Street.
“At 10 o’clock in the morning, we will start on College Street and run our way down Austin Street to Nelda Street and the marching units will end at Nelda Street. The rest of our units will go on down to the Wave Pool parking lot for disbanding. So, you can sit anywhere from Austin and College to our Guadalupe and Nelda Street area and watch the parade at 10 a.m. and we are looking at about a good 50 plus entries. We are excited to have some of the groups back out from San Antonio to join us. They will even be over at the grounds later after the parade and be around over there to visit with our spectators for the fair and we invite everybody to come over to the grounds after the parade is over and join us for our140th Guadalupe County Fair,” said Damerau.
Fair gates open at 11 a.m. Friday. Events include Fair Market Days; the Pet Show at noon; the Kid’s Corral from to 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.; a wine garden from 4 to 11 p.m. and the presentation of Miss Rodeo Guadalupe County Teen and Princess at 7:30 p.m. Today’s dance features music by La Musica Live Variety Band from 6 to 9 p.m. followed by Fast Moving Train from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. The dance is free and will be held in the Dance Pavilion.
On Saturday, gates to the fairgrounds open at 9 a.m. Events throughout the day include a trade fair and expo from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; the Best Western Wear Roundup at 9 a.m.; youth activities from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; awards for pumpkin decorating contest at 12:30 p.m.; a fiddler’s contest at 12:30 p.m. followed by the Fair Queen’s contest at 5:30 p.m.; the presentation of Miss Rodeo Guadalupe County Teen & Princess at 7:30 p.m. and the Mutton Bustin’ Contest at 7:45 p.m.
Saturday night is also “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” in which the fair association will again honor breast cancer survivors during the opening ceremonies. Those who wish to be recognized are asked to call 830-379-6477. Each survivor will receive a ticket to the rodeo Saturday night. Plus, the fair association will make a donation for each person who enters the rodeo arena wearing pink.
Saturday’s dance will feature music by Paul Sanchez & Wrangler Country from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. followed by headliner Clay Hollis from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The dance will be held in the Fairgrounds Dance Pavilion.
On Sunday, gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday will be the final day for the county fair. The schedule includes Fair Market Days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; youth activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.in the Coliseum; the Food Challenge contest at 12:30 p.m. and the release of home arts and pumpkin decorating entries from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Gates officially close at 6 p.m.
Each day of the fair includes a large carnival and various food booths. The PRCA Rodeo also continues today and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 pre-sale and available at gcfair.org. Rodeo tickets at the grounds will be $30. Children 10 and under are free.
Gate admission into the fairgrounds also varies each day. Friday is Student and Military Day. Students with an ID or those with a military ID get in free until 7 p.m. Otherwise, cost is $10. There is no cost for kids 10 and under.
The cost to enter the grounds is $10 a person. Kids 10 and under are free.
Damerau says proceeds from parking will again go to support a local non-profit. She says a free shuttle service at the Seguin Wave Pool will also be offered this Saturday only.
“So, our parking this year is being manned by Seguin FFA. So, parking on the grounds is $5 so be sure and come over and come into the parking area and our Seguin FFA is doing that as their fundraiser this year. So, parking on the grounds will be $5 and we will be running a Wave Pool park and ride if you want to park at the Wave Pool on Saturday. There will be a shuttle running on Saturday for that,” said Damerau.
The shuttle on Saturday will operate from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and will run every 15 minutes.
Details about this year’s fair are available in the official fair catalog. You can find it online at gcfair.org. A copy of the catalog can also be picked up at Seguin Radio KWED. It’s also available on the website, SeguinToday.com.