The 2023 Red River County Fair will let county residents know it is back for another year for a four-day run featuring food, vendors, livestock shows, an ag mechanics silent auction and a variety of exhibits when it opens at the fairgrounds and then when a parade rides through downtown Clarksville on Wednesday.
The floats, horses, cars and other vehicles that plan to be in the parade will gather for the start at Friendship Baptist Church east of downtown for the parade that will get underway between 5 and 5:30 p.m. The parade route will move west from the church on U.S. 82 into downtown, then around the square with a right turn on Walnut Street, and another right turn onto Broadway before heading back out of downtown to the fairgrounds.
“We’re expecting a pretty good crowd,” said Paul Allen, who is this year’s fair and parade chairman.
After viewing the parade, people can head over to the fairground for food and entertainment.
Allen said there have been improvements made to the fairground facilities since last year’s fair.
“We put up some shade blockers at the bandstand and the show barn,” he said.
Meko Carder, the Red River County extension county coordinator, her staff and volunteers have been busy almost since last year’s fair ended organizing this year’s show.
“It is looking good,” she said, noting that people were still getting the buildings ready on Monday for the Wednesday opening. “Each year we hope to do better than the year before.”
The livestock shows are always a big draw, Allen said.
“We have 60 head of cattle and 67 hogs,” he said.
The exhibit hall will be open at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and the market and breeding rabbit show starts at 7 p.m. Honey Band plays music starting on the band stand.
The Commercial Heifer Show starts at 9 a.m. Thursday with the Beef Show starting shortly thereafter. The Goat Show is at 6 p.m. on Thursday with the Lamb Show following.
Friday at 8 a.m. there will be the Swine Show followed by the Market Broiler Show.
Stacy Musgrove will perform Thursday and Friday nights with his shows starting at 7 p.m.
The annual fair will end its 2023 run around 9 p.m. Saturday, Durango entertains starting at 7 p.m.
“We hope people will come out to see all the exhibits,” Carder said. “Come out to see all the kids’ livestock projects that they have worked so hard on.”
