Following an impressive set of young country artists the night before in Priscilla Block and Conner Smith, the LaPorte County Fair has kept the country theme rolling. Chris Young and special guest Matt Schuster treated the fair attendees to some of their best hits on Wednesday, July 10.
Glenna Sunn, a La Porte County resident, is a big fan of the concerts that are put on at the fair.
“I came here with my great grandson and we liked to check everything out,” Sunn said. “The concerts are probably one of the best parts of the fair. They do a great job here getting some unique artists. We also like to see animals since my granddaughter has sheep and goats.”
Variety is a key part of making the fair an attraction that people will always want to visit. Steve Mrozinski, president of the board for the LaPorte County Fair, notes that it’s imperative for them to always make improvements to the fair every year. He shared his excitement about bringing in a country music superstar like Chris Young to La Porte County.
“Our fair is the oldest fair in Indiana,” Mrozinski said. “This is the 178th year. You come here and the people are great. The crowd that comes is awesome and we have vendors that have been here forever. Everybody likes to come here for a great time so we try to make everything sharp. With an act like Chris Young, I think the crowd is really going to appreciate it.”
The seats were packed with several people wearing cowboy hats and boots to get in the spirit to watch one of their favorite performers in Chris Young. Alex Trichak has been a fan for four years and has had this date circled on her calendar for a long time.
“I’m excited to have the chance to hear a lot of his songs from 2021,” Trichak said. “I would say that ‘I’m Comin’ Over’ and ‘Gettin’ You Home’ are my two favorites from him. Although ‘Young Love & Saturday Nights’ is a great song too.”
To bring not only a country music superstar like Chris Young but also an emerging artist like Matt Schuster to the fair is huge for the people of La Porte County. Trichak appreciates what the fair board has been able to put together recently for their concert performances.
“La Porte has been really good for the past few years,” Trichak said. “We saw Walker Hayes and Miranda Lambert a few years ago. I don’t live in La Porte County anymore, so it really brings me back to see some of these artists perform here.”
There’s a lot to keep people busy at the fair. Raymond Belz, game operator for the LaPorte County Fair, has a strong passion for everything the fair has to offer and loves having a front-row seat to all the action.
“I like the entire atmosphere of the fair,” Belz said. “It’s a lot of fun to get everything set up for the city in less than a day. Some people might see the Ferris wheel from the outside which draws them in. Once they come in, they see all the great food and concerts that we put on. It’s an absolute blast.”
From impressive musical performances to one-of-a-kind meals, Belz has seen it all at the fair. He’s grateful that the fair maintains that iconic feeling and has simultaneously grown in popularity.
“I’ve been doing this for about 30 years,” Belz said. “It’s pretty nostalgic for me to come back to do it every time. We always look forward to the LaPorte County Fair and try to make it better every time.”
While the headlining acts for the concerts have concluded, the LaPorte County Fair will continue until Saturday, July 13.
For more information on the LaPorte County Fair, you can visit their website.