It’s still a few more years until the fair will celebrate its centennial, but the summer festival is going strong when it returns in less than a week.

Pre-fair events actually started this past Saturday with the 4-H Dog Obedience and Showmanship Show at the Administration Building at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.

Pre-fair activities continue through Monday, with this year’s Leavenworth County Fair officially starting Tuesday.

Leavenworth High School ROTC will present the colors at the opening ceremony at noon Tuesday at the flagpole near the Administration Building’s main entrance. The Tonganoxie High School band will perform the National Anthem.

Local 4-H, FFA and open class exhibits galore will take center-stage throughout the fairgrounds next week.

Visitors will have their pick of fair fare at the food court and other food stands.

This year’s theme is “Fun Under the Sun.” Though most activities will be at the fairgrounds for the five-day Leavenworth County Fair, the annual fair parade will start at 6 p.m. in downtown Tonganoxie. The parade route will start at Fourth and Main streets and head west along Fourth Street. Parade-goers will want to get to the downtown early or avoid main entry points. Main Street will be lined with parade entries and much of Fourth Street will be blocked off in the downtown district for the route.

Tonganoxie Lions Club will be collecting nonperishable food items at the grandstand before the Al Dyer Memorial Draft Horse Pull, which starts at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Other grandstand events are the youth rodeo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, a rodeo at 7 p.m. July 28, the Mutton Bust’n Challenge and a mini-bull riding will be 7 p.m. July 29 and a night of bull riding will start at 8 p.m. July 30.

The fair has opportunities for all ages, as armband nights will be offered for rides and games in the carnival areas, while the Leavenworth County Council on Aging will have Senior Day at the Fair. From 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 29. Free lunch will be offered to adults 50 and older. There also will be Bingo, door prizes and a performance by Elvis Expressions.

Round-trip transportation from the Leavenworth County Council on Aging, 1830 S. Broadway in Leavenworth will be offered for $5 per passenger. The bus will depart at 9 a.m. that day. To reserve a ride, call 913-684-0778.

Other highlights on July 29 are the Ag Challenge of Champions, a pie-baking contest and the annual livestock auction.

The fair finishes up with more activities July 30 with an open horse show, Ag Olympics, turtle races, dog show, youth pedal tractor pull and water event for youths 18 and younger in the horse arena.

The Leavenworth County Fair dates back to 1926 when it started as a celebration of a bumper crop of corn in downtown Tonganoxie, and the next year corn and apples. The event officially was known as the Leavenworth County Fair in 1928 and in 1938 moved from downtown to its current site along Kansas Highway 16 at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.