Eaton County Fair kicks off despite livestock show concerns

CHARLOTTE, Mich. (WLNS) — The Eaton County Fair officially started on Monday, and organizers say it’s going to bring “seven days of fun” to Charlotte. However, there are concerns when it comes to the fair’s livestock show amid this year’s threat of bird flu.

Members of the Eaton County 4H have been hard at work all year raising and preparing their animals in the hope of taking home the coveted blue ribbon.

“It’s just kind of fun and stressful at the same time,” said Colton Rickerd, a member of the Eaton County 4H. “It like, helps you learn responsibility and all that stuff.”

However, this year, they’re working under the threat of bird flu, which has many animal industry experts worried about large gatherings of animals such as the fair’s livestock show.

Fair organizers say they’ve been tracking these concerns and have been in contact with experts at MSU to ensure that the fair stays as safe as possible.

“It’s been wide open at this point so we just follow what they tell us to do,” says Scott Underwood, a member of the Eaton County Fair Board. “We take their advice seriously. Right now we don’t foresee any issues but we keep our eye on it and we’re in daily contact.”

Despite the worries, the animal shows at the fair are expected to continue—something appreciated by the Eaton County 4H.

“I did really good on the dog show on Saturday so that was fun,” said Abby Rickerd, a member of the Eaton Coynty 4H. “The Burmese Mountain Dog, her name is Kendall, and the pig’s name is Dory. It teaches the responsibility of caring for the animal, remembering to train, and work with it as much as possible, and hard work.”

if you happen to miss Monday night’s rodeo, organizers have events planned all throughout the week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.