It’s been two years since visitors flocked to the Leavenworth County Fair, an Tonganoxie summer staple that dates back to 1926.

But the fair is back.

The Leavenworth County Jr. ROTC Color Guard raised the American flag at the flagpole just east of the Administration Building while Tonganoxie High School band members performed the National Anthem under the welcoming shade of a nearby tree. The local youths helped usher in the latest edition of the Leavenworth County Fair with this year’s opening ceremony.

Temperatures are expected to hit triple digits this week — and feel closer to 110 degrees per heat index predictions.

But as Todd noted after the ceremony, the fair weather can be predictable, sort of, noting “it’s either really hot or raining,” he said with a slight chuckle.

Either way, there is a fair this year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of so many of the standard activities.

But the parade, which fittingly had the theme “It’s Fair Time: Rain or Shine,” made its way through downtown Tonganoxie on Tuesday night.

Activities will start at 8 a.m. each day through Friday, with the final day’s festivities starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. Carnival rides are set to run until 10 p.m. each night, with various events going until about 11 p.m. each night.

The annual draft horse pull was Tuesday night, with the youth rodeo being the main evening event today starting at 7 p.m. The adult rodeo starts at 7 p.m. Thursday and then Senior Day at the Fair is 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday under The Big Top as a free event for seniors. Youths will be featured with their animals during the livestock auction starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Show Arena and then mutton bust’n and the mini bull buck event starts at 7 p.m. Friday at the grandstand.

Saturday has a big lineup: horse show at 9 a.m., turtle races at 1 p.m., youth pedal tractor pull at 3 p.m. and the mud run near the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission north ball fields. The Bull Buckout and Mutton Bust’n Championships will start at 8 p.m. Saturday.

There also will be 4-H, FFA and open exhibits and various vendor and organization booths available throughout the fair (commercial exhibits run from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. each day). And, each night will be a new armband night at the fair.