The Fort Bend County Fair’s Life Member/Committee Kick Off Party & Dance is now set for Saturday, September 16, 2017. The dance is rescheduled due to the emergency operations being based out of the county fairgrounds. Since Hurricane Harvey, the Texas National Guard and members of the Texas Task Force had been staged at the Fort Bend County maintained facility.  Over 250 members were occupying the grounds.

The dance is the signature event to officially kick-off the Fair’s 10-day run from September 29 to October 8. Life-Members and Committee-members will be treated to the musical talents of Horizon and will help raise money for scholarships through a live and silent auction. For more information call the Fair Office at 281-342-6171 or visit fortbendcountyfair.com.

Sign up, get entered, and join the fun! Due to Hurricane Harvey, several of our contests or event deadlines have been extended. We want you to be part of our fair so don’t hesitate, join us!

 
One could say that Kyle Park was born to sing. The 32-year-old, Austin native, has been playing music and performing for more than half his life. Park will be returning to the Fort Bend County Fair on Saturday, September 30th said, “It’s an honor to be asked once, it’s an even bigger honor to be asked twice. I'm very excited to play at Fort Bend Country Fair and share new songs and even have new band members since last time I played there.”
 
As a 10-year-old boy, Park took guitar lessons but gradually fell in love with music. He shared, “I took lessons when I was 10, I think. It didn’t take; I didn’t like the guitar at all. Later on, my dad passed when I was 12, and I think around 14, I picked up the guitar again.” Out of Park’s loss, his passion for music grew. “I’m no psychiatrist, but I bet it’s some kind of grieving method of just dealing with things and coping. I was in my room by myself; my brother had his life, and he was driving around town. I lived out in the country, and I just picked up the guitar, and I remember just the challenge of learning it. Out of passion for music and I guess boredom,” says Park.
 
Park’s current single "Don't Forget Where You Come From" hit #1 on the Texas Regional Radio Report. His tour has taken him all over the country, and he made his debut at this summer’s CMA Fest in Nashville. Playing in front of a large crowd is something that Park looks forward to and admits he feeds off the crowd’s energy. “I love the challenge, I love the energy, the size of the crowd – the more, the better for me,” said Park.
 
Park continues to stay busy with tour dates, working in the studio on a new album, and recently has been producing music.  His fan base has a strong allegiance to his music and social platforms. “I communicate with my fans regularly through all platforms of social media - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. I’m also at the merch booth at almost every show to shake hands and sign autographs,” said Park.
 
Jesse Raub Jr will be opening for Park. Raub is from Magnolia and will bring his blended country and southern rock sound to the stage. For Park, it will be a Saturday night in Texas in front of his beloved fans. “It is the fans!  I love writing music, performing, producing, recording, and playing guitar…but it’s the relationships with the fans that keep me going,” says Park. For more information about the fair’s schedule or to purchase tickets visit fortbendcountyfair.com.

Our queen candidates have been busy! The chase for the crown has been in full swing, and the journey has been paved with new experiences for the 11 candidates. In August, a business networking event was hosted by the Central Fort Bend Chamber and the Fort Bend County Fair featuring the candidates. Each candidate was able to speak before the group of business leaders and attendees at the Swinging Door Restaurant. All the young ladies did an amazing job answering questions. Commissioner Vincent Morales served as master of ceremonies as Fort Bend County Fair President, Ernest Lawson, had opening & closing remarks.
 

The young ladies donned stylish hats, heels, and high fashion on a day that was fit for a queen. Candidates participated in an afternoon of getting to know each other while dining at a Kentucky Derby themed dinner held at the Ol’ Railroad Café. Fort Bend County Fair Queen Committee members, reigning Fair Queen Katie Koerth, Fair Manager, Cindy Schmidt, and Fair Board Members Vickie Todd Autrey and Marjie Pollard all shared the social event with the candidates. The 11 young ladies vying to be Fair Queen represent high schools from all of Fort Bend County.
 
This year’s contest has been reformatted to include each candidate volunteering with several different charities, public appearances, and interviews. The competition has revived some of the traditions of past Queen competitions. The candidates participated in a personal development workshop that included public speaking, poise, and etiquette at Be Unique located on FM 359.  The girls public speaking skills were immediately tested with each girl having to introduce a fellow candidate. The entire experience was well-received by all, and the candidates commented on how they enjoyed the workshop.
 
The new predetermined scoring format includes the candidates’ participation and an essay on “What My Fair Means to My Community” to be submitted.  The long-standing, ticket sales requisite is no longer part of the contest leading the journey to the crown on a new path. The girls will be working, decorating, and riding together on a float for this year’s parade.
 
The Queen contestants receive scholarships and prizes as part of the competition. The 2017 Fort Bend County Fair Queen will be crowned on September 29, 2017. For more information visit fortbendcountyfair.com or call the Fair Office at 281-342-6171.

Calling all Calf Scramblers! Entries for the ever-popular Calf Scramble are now being accepted by the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo. The fan favorite pits FFA & 4-H Students against a herd of running calves. Students who can catch a calf will receive a $1,000 certificate to be used towards the purchase of a registered breeding beef heifer that will be shown at the 2018 Fort Bend County Fair’s Scramble Heifer Show. The calf scramble will take place during the PRCA Rodeo on Friday, October 6th and Saturday, October 7th.
 
Catching a calf during the calf scramble is just the beginning of the year long journey for the participant. Boys and girls will have the opportunity to select, care for, feed, train, and show their heifer. The opportunity promotes time management, responsibility, and dedication to the FFA or 4H member.
 
Entries for the calf scramble must be submitted by September 15, 2017. For more information and entry forms visit fortbendcountyfair.com or contact the Fair Office at 281-342-6171.

It is a hometown parade with big time fun! The Fort Bend County Fair will kick off with a Parade on Friday, September 29, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. The parade is the signature opening event of the Fort Bend County Fair’s 10-day run from September 29 to October 8, 2017. Parade entries are being accepted now without a late fee to the Fort Bend County Fair office by 5:00 pm on Friday, September 15^th. The original entry deadline was pushed back due to Hurricane Harvey. Fort Bend County residents and other parade-watchers will be treated to parade entries that include floats, horses, marching bands, antique cars, and much more. Nearly 200 entries will navigate their way from the Historic Court House in Richmond and proceed west down Hwy. 90-A to Jennetta Street in Rosenberg. "Serving Youth Today for a Better Tomorrow" is this year’s parade theme.

2017 fair entertainment headliner and hometown sweetheart, Mary Sarah, will serve as the Parade Marshal. The rising country music maven and The Voice alumnus is excited to be leading the parade and playing before her hometown crowd. Mary Sarah said, “This means the world to me. Where you grow up and the people you grow up with influence your life in ways that cannot be explained. I love my hometown! It is truly an honor to be coming home and to say I am headlining is just a dream!” Mary Sarah’s new single, “Without You” is now available on iTunes.

The Rosenberg Lion's Club will host a 5K Run before the Parade. This event raises funds for the Fort Bend County Fair Scholarship Fund as well as the Rosenberg Lions Club Charities Fund. For more information on the Fair’s schedule or parade entry forms, visit fortbendcountyfair.com or call the Fair Office at 281-342-6171.

It’s a celebration! Fair-going Senior Citizens will be marking the 30th anniversary of the Fort Bend County Fair Senior Citizens’ Day on Monday, September 25th. Many of the guests have been visiting the Fort Bend County Fair since they were children. The day is filled with fun and socializing similar to a class reunion. Residents who are 55 years or older will enjoy bingo, door prizes, lunch, and friendship. Live music and a free photo station are just some of the activities available to the attendees.

This year, the Fort Bend County Fair celebrates 81 years of being part of the community. Several of the attendees have been attending or supporting the Fair for decades. Military veterans, former classmates, and lifelong friends may be spotted in the crowd.

There is no charge or registration to attend. The doors will open at 8:00 a.m. and activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. A hearty stew will be served and prepared for lunch by the Senior Citizens’ Day Committee. Local officials, board members, and volunteers will be on hand to help host the day’s events. Vendors representing different businesses will be set up and will be providing gift bags for the guest. For more information call the Fair Office at 281-342-6171 or visit fortbendcountyfair.com.
 

Hot dogs, baseball, and a fair queen....that's what we like to call Fort Bend County Fair Day at the Sugar Land Skeeters' game! What a fun night for our fair family and friends. Hats off to our Fair Queen Katie Koerth for throwing out the first pitch.

We are Fort Bend County Fair Proud. President Ernest Lawson and Mayor Joe Zimmerman, with several Fort Bend County Fair Association board members, Fair Manager Cindy Schmidt, Fair Queen Katie Koerth, our 2017 Fair Queen Candidates kicking off the night at Sugar Land Skeeters!


Queen Katie has shown us that she could show a steer, strike a pose, go on TV, and is awesome as an ambassador for our Fair. Katie took the mound and threw out the first pitch with her "teammates" cheering her on. Way to represent Katie Koerth!