2 · THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018 TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Variety highlights show’s 70th anniversary
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
by ALEXIS PAPALIA
Trib Total Media
This year is the 70th anniversary
of the Butler Farm Show, and there
is plenty to celebrate.
The show, which is held on the
106-acre farm show grounds, is
packed with events and competi-tions
that celebrate the local Butler
community.
You won’t find big-time musical
acts at the Butler Farm Show, but
you will see an awe-inspiring array
of local agricultural and artistic tal-ent,
along with entertainment for
the whole family.
“We don’t do anything out of the
ordinary, no national attractions,”
said Jim Lokhaiser, the farm show’s
marketing director. “It’s really about
the local community. People come
on the grounds with their families,
their kids. That’s what our show is
all about.”
The local community has plenty
to show off. Around 1,400 animals,
from steers to rabbits and chickens,
will participate in one of the farm
show’s biggest events, the livestock
sale. This sale is no joke. Accord-ing
to Lokhaiser, last year’s grand
champion steer sold for $21,000.
Children from 4H and FFA will
show their animals throughout the
week, and the big auction will occur
at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9.
Livestock isn’t the only area
where the pride of Butler’s agricul-ture
community will be on display.
There also will be produce, baked
goods, dairy products and arts and
crafts to admire.
“The advantage we have, as op-posed
to the fair, is that our arts and
crafts and farm products are very
unique because our show is at the
right time,” Lokhaiser said. “All the
produce is ripe now, and everything
is on display: tomatoes, onions,
cucumbers, flowers, wheat, every-thing.”
The arts and crafts are a major
part of the show, with local craft-ers
bringing quilts, photography,
paintings, woodwork and needle-work.
There also will be jewelry and
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