KCYF is Coming to “The Grand” with The Greatest Showman Theme
By Emma Palova || Contributing writer
7/24/2024
The Kent County Youth Fair (KCYF) will be held from July 29th through Aug. 3 at “The Grand”, the new fair location at, 13801 Cascade Road, south of Lowell. A fully-packed schedule for this year’s youth fair includes mainstay traditions ranging from animal shows, large livestock auction on Thursday, to Reading for Rides on Wednesday, Access-Ability Friday and Kid’s Day on Saturday.
Another highlight, Super Kicker Rodeo Productions will present the 2024 “Round Em Up” Summer Tour on Friday Aug. 2 at 7 pm.
There will also be fair food, and more fair food, your favorites such as elephant ears, fries in a cup corn dogs, and ice cream social on Saturday at 2 pm.
Carnival rides will be provided by Anderson Midways; wristbands will cost $30 from Wednesday through Saturday, $25 on the opening day, on Tuesday at 2 pm. The fair continues its long-standing tradition of Reading for Rides with $10 off on Wednesday to encourage literacy among youth.
“As an integral part of the fair’s mission to foster education and community engagement, Reading for Rides exemplifies its commitment to enriching young minds, while providing wholesome entertainment,” fair officials stated in an FB post.
Participants ages 12 and under are encouraged to read five books, fill out the form on the fair’s website to get $10 off the wristband.
By encouraging reading habits from a young age, the fair aims to empower future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in an ever-evolving world.
The new fairgrounds, known as The Grand Agricultural Center of West Michigan, sits on 140 acres close to the I-96 freeway. The ambitious project, completed in phases, has already built Exhibit Barn 1, Yeiter Family Barn, Freddie Oesch Jr. Memorial Barn, Tim Dougherty Memorial Barn, Meijer Foundation Barn, Exhibit Barn 6, the Grand Entrance, Horse Arena, Gunberg Family Warm-Up Arena, primitive campsites, pulling track and Cook Drive.
The next phase of The Grand will include campground amenities, indoor exhibition area, amphitheater, community building, agriculture education center, dog-training center, large livestock exhibit barn, trailways and sanitary sewer system.
It provides an opportunity to showcase 1,000 exhibitors, artwork, animals, projects, and more to over 40,000 patrons. KCYF is centered on developing character and leadership traits in young people.
New this year are digital parking passes that save time at the entrance gate. They can be purchased at https://app.fairs.com/e/5600345ddb164d83. The parking passes are $10 daily, and $20 weekly for the six days of the fair.
