MOUNT GILEAD – A father and son are teaming up to plan this year’s Morrow County Fair. They know what it takes to put on a good show.

Dave Brown, a longtime farmer in northern Morrow County, is president of the Senior Fair Board, while his son Tyler, 19, is heading up the Junior Fair Board. Together, they’re in charge of the 171st fair, which kicks off Monday and runs through Sept. 6.

“This year, we’re going back to a full-time fair after a youth showing only last year,” said Dave Brown, who started preparations in 2020 after a four-day run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Hopefully, we have a good run of concession stands, have fun, and get back to some normalcy.”

Two nights of harness racing will highlight the eight-day event, along with the OSTPA-sanctioned truck and tractor pull. A diesel truck drag race is making its fair debut, he said, but the popular demolition derby, truck pull, and rough truck contest will be back again.

A $6 gate admission also includes the headline entertainment – country-rock band and Grammy winners “The Kentucky Headhunters” – who will hit the grandstand stage Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. The country band “Nashville Crush” will be their opening act.

“You can’t beat it. It’s the best deal around,” said Brown. “Usually, our big nights are Saturday night and Sunday night. We can get 5,000 to 6,000 people a night, give or take, and weather plays a big factor in it as well. If it’s too hot, not as many people show up.”

Brown, a 1991 Galion High School graduate, is no stranger to the fair, whether it’s been in the office or out in the barns. As a youngster, he regularly showed market goats and dairy goats as a member of the “County Line Kids” 4-H Club, “and the rest is history.”

Tyler followed in his footsteps, showing goats throughout his entire 4-H career. As a member of “Kickin’ It in the Barn,” he won the lightweight champion goat award in 2018 and other showmanship awards over the years. He has two goats entered in this year’s competition.

Now a sophomore at The University of Toledo, Tyler is capping off a four-year stint on the Junior Fair Board, the last as president. “The advisors knew him. The kids knew him, and he filled right into that role. It’s been fun,” said his father.

Tyler’s younger brother, 16-year-old Cooper, is also carrying on the 4-H tradition – and the Brown family tradition. He’s raising goats as a 4-H’er and three years ago had the grand champion market goat at the fair and other showmanship awards.

“My boys and I are pretty close. They were always with me growing up, and I would say, ‘Do you guys want to do the same thing?’” Brown said. “Maybe in a couple of years, my youngest son will take on that role too.”

Brown said about six years ago it was a struggle to attract youth exhibitors to the fair, but that’s all changed. “We have one of the great junior fairs around, 40-plus kids. Working with the junior fair kids is a big part of what I do. I couldn’t do it without them.”

The fairgrounds are located on South Main Street in Mt. Gilead, and parking is free. Additional information is available online at morrowcountyfair.org