JANESVILLE 鈥 Temperatures were moderating, storms held off and the Rock County 4-H Fair was the place to be Thursday night as families found dinner and rode rides, and youth exhibitors showed sheep and prepped their animals for another night in the barns.
Leo Hoffman, 5, enjoys a bag of cotton candy at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
At one end of the fairgrounds, kids were competing to see who could pedal a tractor the farthest.
The fair, that kicked off Tuesday and runs through Sunday, was fully on for its seasonal run.
The food
Around the perimeter of the fairgrounds, and along the carnival midway, you could find just about anything for dinner, a snack, or after-dinner sweet treat.
There were mobile food trailers, food tents and food booths selling gyros, cheese curds, roasted corn, kettle corn, French fries, cream puffs, corn dogs, hamburgers and ice cream cones.
Jaina Meleen participates in the Kids' Pedal Pull at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Clad in a green 4-H apron, Kaitlyn Peters, a member of the Newark-Beloit 4-H Club, sold cream puffs as a fundraiser. Leo Hoffman, 5, dug into a big bag of cotton candy. And Cassie Fink, of Hodag鈥檚 Popcorn and Treats, stirred kettle corn and scooped it into bags for sale.
鈥淲e are here every day, so we make our rounds to all the food trailers,鈥 said Jamie Fisk, a former 4-H mom and fairgoer. Fisk and her friend, Jill Jones, sat under at tent enjoying a gyro.
Jones said that they have been coming to the fair for years and she used to show animals. The 鈥済yros are a must try,鈥 she said as she took another bite.
Andy O鈥橪eary, meanwhile, argued that the fried cheese curds from The Dairy Trailer are the best food choice at the Rock County 4-H Fair.
Wicked Awakening, a food truck operated by Alexandra Ramirez was serving caffeine refreshers and coffee. From Evansville, it had espresso drinks, teas, matcha and colorful popping boba refreshers.
Ramirez said her business is entirely mobile, appearing at festivals, teacher appreciation days, tournaments, and local events throughout Rock, Walworth, and Green counties.
She launched the business in May, after managing a coffee shop and with a passion for trying new flavor trends like energy drinks and boba-based creations.
Cora, a youth exhibitor, walks with her jersey heifer, named Cranberry, at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
For the fair, the menu took a playful twist with drink names like the 鈥淭ilt-a-Brew,鈥 inspired by the Tilt-A-Whirl carnival ride.
Emma Peck stopped by Wicked Awakening earlier in the day on Thursday, looking for a cool pick me up.
Kaitlyn Peters, a member of the Newark-Beloit 4-H Club, sells cream puffs at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want a soda and heard they had refreshers. I thought I would try them out,鈥 she said.
Youngsters watch the Kids Pedal Pull at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Peck ordered a strawberry coconut refresher and said she would highly recommend it.
Cassie Fink, of Hodag鈥檚 Popcorn and Treats, stirs and bags up kettle corn at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Natalie Nass prepares to show her natural sheep at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Youth exhibitors show sheep at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
A sheep is led into the show ring at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
A crowd gathers outside the swine barn at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Water droplets spray up at Kennedy Stanton hoses down Darla, her cross-bred market heifer, at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
A child plays a Plinko game at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.聽
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
Families enjoy the food offerings at the Rock County 4-H Fair Thursday, July 24, 2025.
KARYN SAEMANN/KARYN.SAEMANN@APG-SW.COM
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