AMERICAN FALLS — Fair season stepped into full swing on Monday with the start of several week-long events in the area, including Power, Bear Lake, South Bannock and Bonneville counties.

Cindy Kuttler, treasurer for the Power County Fair Committee, said things got going Monday with a local rodeo event, Power County Team Roping. That’s an event only for those living in Power County or who are graduates of American Falls and Rockland high schools.

“It’s a series of events and the winners will come back for the finals on Saturday and Sunday,” Kuttler said.

That’s when the Power County Fair holds it’s Intermountain Professional Rodeo Association event, during which they are expecting about 350 professional competitors to descend upon Power County. 

The week-long fair will include events throughout the day and admission to the fair itself is free. Admission to the IMPRA event, however, is additional. It’s $5 for those over 12 years old and $3 for those 12 years and under.

In a change this year, the rodeo will also serve as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The proceeds will go toward fulfilling the wish of a McCammon boy named Jace, Kuttler said.

“When we were thinking about this, we decided we wanted to help someone from Southeast Idaho,” she said.

In addition to the gate receipts, another $5 from each entry fee for those competing in the main rodeo this weekend will also go toward the fundraising effort. Saturday’s rodeo will start at 7 p.m. while things get underway at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“We are really hoping we can set a trend of helping kids in the rodeo community,” Kuttler said. “We would just love to see more rodeos follow our lead on this and help take care of some kids right here in Southeast Idaho.”

The Power County Fair opens daily at 10 a.m.

Down in Downey, the South Bannock County Fair also got started Monday. The first two days are filled with numerous 4-H competitions and other contests, but things really get busy come Wednesday, which is capped by the parade at 6:30 p.m. That’s followed by the BBQ Rib Eye Steak Dinner, which is $9 for adults and $6 for kids 12 years and younger.

One of the event’s coordinators, Piney Morrison, said the South Bannock County Fair’s theme, “How the West Was Fun,” celebrates both the 100th anniversary of the 4-H, and the 100th anniversary of the founding of Downey.

“The buildings are all decorated in old west style, and we have a woman doing some old west photography,” Morrison said. “The parade will also have an old west theme to it.”

The South Bannock County Fair is typically in full swing by 9 a.m. each day and general admissions is free. There is a cost associated, however, with some of the special events, including the main show, the Downey Lions Club Rodeo, which has been expanded to two nights this year. 

“This is the first year they have done it two nights,” Morrison said.

The action starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and cost to attend each day is $9 for adults and $7 for children 11 years and under. A family pass for six is $35.

As part of their efforts to turn the rodeo up a notch, the Downey Lions have also switched their rodeo to a Rocky Mountain Pro Rodeo Association event.

A full program for the South Bannock County Fair, which runs through Saturday can be found at www.bannockcountyfairgrounds.com. A program for the upcoming North Bannock County Fair in Pocatello, which runs Aug. 13-18, can be found at the same location.

Marylan Whitaker, fair superintendent for the North Bannock County Fair, said this year’s event will included a nightly program in the main arena but there will also be an alternative event hosted each night at the covered arena.

“We thought it would be fun to have something down there and give people another choice,” Whitaker said.

Cost to attend events at the covered arena will be about $2 per person, enough to cover the cost of maintaining the facility. Seating will be limited, though, so getting tickets sooner rather than later is advised.

In Montpelier, the Bear Lake County Fair got underway on Monday with several 4-H related events, including a horse show at 9 a.m.

As with Power County and South Bannock County fairs, Bear Lake’s big event is their IMPRA rodeo, which they will host on Friday at 7 p.m. Their other big event is on Saturday when they host a United Truck and Tractor Pull at 7 p.m. The Bear Lake County Fair will be open daily with free shows throughout each day.

The Bonneville 4-H Fair, hosted at the 4-H Fairgrounds, located at 2925 Rollandet Ave., got started on Monday as well.