Box Elder county’s first recorded fair took place in 1908, when they took part in “The Big Four County Fair,” a multi-county fair, held in Ogden. The Utah counties involved included Box Elder, Weber, Morgan and Davis counties.
First year activities included a banquet, an automobile tour, horse races, and Its midway featured the Nat Reiss Carnival. A headline from July 23,1908 Box Elder News boasted “The Exhibition will be Bigger than the State Fair!” At the fair’s inception it was decided that it would be held in a different county each year; and in 1909 it was held in Box Elder county. It was so successful that counties from three states wanted included. Renamed the “Four State Fair” it accommodated two counties each from Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming in addition to the four Utah counties.
The Sept.16,1909 Box Elder News headline read, “Not a Worm Hole Found in Apples.” The article reported, “One hundred dollars was offered by the Bear River Commercial Club as a reward to the person who could find a worm hole in any of the apples … at the Four-State fair. Nobody got the money. There wasn’t a worm hole to be found.”
The 1910 fair attracted over 60,000. Its livestock exhibit included 4,000 head of stock, with cash prizes equal to those at most state fairs. Sadly, shortly after the 1911 fair, the building holding records from previous fairs burned down, destroying all the records. For some reason a feeling of unrest started growing in regard to the fair, and in 1912 the fair declared, “In order to make the Four State Fair a success, it is necessary to have the support of the people and at the present time it does not have that support.” It appears that marked the end of the Four State Fair.
Brigham City’s Peach Day celebration began in 1904, apparently as an inducement for out-of-town attendees to relocate to Brigham. Featuring a wide variety of locally-grown produce, it was so successful that in 1910 all Box Elder was invited to join in a three-day celebration in conjunction with “Peach Days. The joint celebration was held together again in 1911 at City Park on Brigham City’s West Forest Street. The fair offered locally-grown peaches and watermelon free to its attendees. This combined event was successful and it was assumed another joint celebration would be held in 1912. But after the county did not respond, “Peach Days” was held without the county fair.
Citizens of Tremonton wanted to hold a fair, so in 1915, the Box Elder Fair Association was formed, with stock issued at $5.00 a share. $30,000 capital was invested, yet, for some unknown reason, no fairs were held for ten more years. Meanwhile, beginning in 1922, Tremonton’s Bear River Commercial Club and Farm Bureau hosted an annual farmers’ competition, called Competition Day. The July 7,1922 Box Elder News invited the public to attend, with “a bal (sic) game between the East and West leagues of the county, foot racing, horse racing, wrestling matches, games of al (sic) kinds, dancing, and an abundance of amusement for all.”
Finally, it was decided a Box Elder County Fair would be held in 1925. On Sept. 24, 25 and 26 at 400 North, 100 West, in Tremonton, where North Park is now located. The Exhibit Building and other structures were on the train tracks’ north side, and the rodeo grounds on their south side. The headline of Sept. 29, 1923 Box Elder News, reported “County Fair Huge Success.” And the Box Elder County Fair has been celebrated yearly ever since.
After the PRCA Golden Spike Rodeo joined the fair, the annual event, held the third week of August, has seen tremendous growth. Rodeo tickets can be purchased on-line at GoldenspikeRodeo.com, starting about July 26.
The fairgrounds, now located just north of Tremonton’s Main Street at 620 N.1000 W. boasts two indoor roping and riding facilities to host team roping, barrel racing and horseback riding year-round. A beautiful events center holds two full-size hardwood floored basketball courts or up to 8 pickleball courts, also seating about 900 spectators. The site also contains acres of parking, RV sites and so much more. Many of these facilities are available for private use. For information, contact the Box Elder Fair Board office at 435 695-2551 or online at boxeldercounty.org.
So, bring the whole family- we’ll see you at the fair!
Source: “Tremonton…and they came by train,” by Marianne Matney Valenta No publish date or information, but believed published in 2022.w
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