2019 fair auction to start earlier.

MCP file photo

2019 fair auction to start earlier.

#MasonCountyNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — Although it’s only the beginning of January, plans are already in motion for the 2019 Western Michigan Fair, which will take place Aug. 6 – 10. One of the proposed changes planned is an earlier start of the animal auction, which is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8. In the past, the auction began at 5 p.m. This year’s auction will begin at 4 p.m.

Western Michigan Fair Association board member Connie Wade said the number of kids participating in the auction has been up recently, which is good news. The downside, though is that the auction will go until 10 or 11 p.m., Wade said.

“The fair board has been concerned about how late the auction would go because many of the potential buyers have been leaving before the auction ends, which means that some of the sellers scheduled for later don’t sell their animals,” Wade said. “Last year there was a 5-year-old who was almost the last one to sell her pig. She fell asleep because it was so late.”

The fair board originally proposed to the Western Michigan Livestock Council and Michigan State University Extension’s Youth Animal Development Council that the auction begin at 1 p.m., which is consistent with many other fairs in Michigan, Wade said. “But, after some research that just seemed too early. There are a lot of people involved, beyond the fair board and animal council people. We are hoping that by starting at 4, that it will become a little more fair to all the participants. These kids all deserve an equal opportunity to sell their animals. They all work very hard.”

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