Big moments celebrated on the final day of the Clark County Fair, and some called Sunday bittersweet — thrilled to be there, but sad that the 10-day run was coming to a close

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

It was a final day of celebration.

Elephant ears and milkshakes.

Burgers and barbecue.

There were cows and goats and sheep galore.

Oh, and a camel, too.

Then there were the gentle giants, the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales.

There were other forms of gigantic entertainment — the monster trucks.

The final day of the 2025 Clark County Fair was the hottest day, as well. 

Yet the people showed up still.

For one final opportunity at the Best 10 Days of Summer.

So many smiles. So many memories. 

The final day also was bittersweet for some.

“We built new friendships. For 10 days, it’s been a good day, but it’s kind of sad that it’s going to end today,” said Jeff Siebert, owner of Curly the Camel and Friends. “It’s a sad day, too, because the fair is over.”

Todd Barsness of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said he will also miss the fair for another year.

“It is fun. We have a great working relationship with the fair staff and management,” Barsness said during a break of a very popular parade that came to the fair this year. 

“There aren’t a lot of law enforcement that can say they led the Budweiser Clydesdales through the Midway of a major event like this,” he said. “So personally, I’m sad to see it end.”

John Morrison, CEO of the Clark County Fair, said it was a very successful run in 2025. He won’t know the official numbers for a while, but the numbers — ticket sales, concessions, and parking revenue — are not the only way to determine a good year.

“Any measure of success is a safe, enjoyable fair. It’s nice to have good weather. It’s nice to have a good turnout,” Morrison said. “To me, it was safe, and it was family oriented.”

Temperatures soared into the 90s in Ridgefield on Sunday, and yet it was tough to find a parking spot.

For the second time during the 10-day run, the Clydesdales hitched their wagon and rolled through the Midway in front of their adoring fans.

The Collins family from Troutdale, Ore., — Railea, Alec, and their children Logan and Addison — planned all week to come on Sunday to see the Clydesdales. Allison was fortunate enough to score two stuffed animals, a horse and a Dalmatian. The Clydesdale representative ran out of the stuffed horses just a few minutes later.

One of the deputies along the parade route bought a stuffed Dalmatian, then watched the real thing — King — ride atop the wagon, pulled by the Clydesdales. Sarah Seehafer attached her toy dog to her uniform for the parade.

In fact, the deputies patrolling the fair for 10 days appeared to be having a blast. The social media accounts for CCSO showcased deputies taking a shot at the slide, and there is a rumor that a deputy won the donut eating contest.

“We have a dual role here,” Barsness said. “No. 1 is safety and security. We enforce state law and provide an emergency response in case of a major incident. We do a lot of prep work to prepare for that. The other side for us is it’s an opportunity for our deputies to get out and interact with the public in a very positive environment.

“There is the safety and security aspect of it … and then there is the engagement with the public, which is an absolute blast. The deputies love it. It’s a duty I volunteer for every year.”

The family exhibition Ice Age Adventures was crowded, too. That exhibit is indoors, out of the sun, of course.

The grandstands were not 100-percent full for the 2 p.m. performance of the Monster Trucks. But it was still a big turnout. And a bigger turnout was expected for the 7 p.m. show.

Inside the exhibition hall, Clark Public Utilities handed out free cups of ice water. At one count, the booth had given out more than 40,000 cups of water during the 10-day run. That booth was particularly popular on Sunday.

While the fair came to an end, the work did not. For many of the people who make the fair what it is, there are tear-down and clean-up projects to do.

“The plan is we are moving the animals tonight,” said Siebert, noting Curly the Camel and his friends would prefer the comforts of their home in La Center to another hot night at the fairgrounds.

All the stuff associated with Curly’s area, though, will stay another night.

“We’ll be coming down early in the morning and we’ll start taking everything down,” Siebert said of Monday’s plan.

Surely, there will be a lot of exhibitors doing the same thing.

Then, when that work is done, they can take a break.

And perhaps start thinking about the Best 10 Days of Next Summer.