Festivities officially started Tuesday amid a heat advisory, but temperatures are expected to make their way down into the 70s Thursday through Saturday.

An opening ceremony at the flagpole near the Administration Building’s east entrance kicked things off for this year’s fair midday Tuesday at the fairgrounds.

The parade was Tuesday night in downtown Tonganoxie with the theme of “Grow It, Sew It, Show It.”

The first night of events at the grandstand Tuesday was the Al Dyer Memorial Draft Horse Pull.

Other evening events at the grandstand are a rodeo starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, mutton busting and mini bull riding at 7 p.m. Friday and the bull riding and bull riding and mutton busting finals at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Arm bands for rides are $28 and can be purchased starting 30 minutes before arm band nights each day. Arm band rides are offered 6-10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 1-10 p.m. Saturday.

New this year is Monster Bus Paintball near the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission soccer fields. Paintball is offered 5-10 p.m. weekdays and 1-10 p.m. Saturday

Various 4-H, FFA and open exhibits and shows will take place throughout the fair.

Senior Day at the Fair is 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Aug. 1 with live music, bingo and door prizes for adults 50 and better under the big top tent.

The Ag Challenge of Champions will be 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at the 4-H office, while the pie baking contest is 1 p.m. that day (entries will be accepted from noon-1 p.m. at the administration building. The annual livestock auction is 7 p.m. Friday.

Saturday’s activities will feature the Ag Olympics at 10 a.m. and turtle races at 11 a.m. under the big top tent. The kids pedal tractor pull is 3 p.m. at the show arena. A water event is at the same time at the horse arena for youths younger than 18.

Other activities are planned throughout the week. For instance, a cookie contest is 1 p.m. Friday. Check-in time is noon-1 p.m. Bakers do not need to be present for the judging, and the contest is free to enter. Bakers are required to supply 13 cookies to enter. There will be prizes awarded in three divisions: junior youth (younger than 9), intermediate youth (9-11) and senior youth (12-19). The contest is open to amateur bakers. Cookies that will be accepted are drop cookies, bar cookies, cut-out cookies and shaped cookies. Complete recipes, either typed or printed, must be included in the entries and should be presented on a plate or tray, which will not be returned.

Cookies will be sold before the livestock auction around 6 p.m. at the livestock arena, with proceeds benefiting the Leavenworth County 4-H Foundation scholarship. Judging categories are: appearance, taste, texture, creativity and overall execution.

Closing ceremony is 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Tonganoxie VFW Post 9271. More: leavenworthcountyfair.com.