Friday, April 03, 2026
48.0°F

Grant County Fair opens Tuesday

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 7 months AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZERStaff Writer Exhibits
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | August 15, 2016 6:00 AM

photo

A volunteer makes an ice cream cone in the Block 40 booth at the 2015 Grant County Fair.

MOSES LAKE — Fair exhibits, rodeo, demolition derby, carnival rides, fair demonstrations, fair food – it’s fair time. The Grant County Fair begins Tuesday and runs through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Moses Lake.

Tuesday is free admission day, with the gates opening to the public at 10 a.m. Gates open at 10 am. daily.

But the joint starts jumping even before the gates open, with livestock judging for 4-H, FFA and open class competitors beginning at 8:30 a.m. Market classes for sheep and small animal competitors lead off; many of those classes are scheduled for Tuesday.

Dog exhibitors meet at 11 a.m., with dogs entered and the mandatory vet check at 11:30 a.m. Open class goat competition begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday, and horse competition starts at 2:30 p.m.

Entertainment is scheduled throughout the week, including a strolling robot, a lumberjack demonstration, magicians and musicians. Moses Lake’s Dance FX company will perform at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The Davis Shows carnival opens at noon and is open until midnight Tuesday through Thursday. All buildings and barns close to the public at 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

Wednesday is Senior Day; senior citizens pay $4 admission.

Horsemanship competition begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Market class competition for open show, 4-H and FFA swine, beef and sheep exhibitors begins at 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day. Dog competition begins at 10 a.m.

Demonstrations competition for 4-H participants begins at 1 p.m.

Gates open at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for the annual Moses Lake Demolition Derby. Time trials are at 6:30 p.m. with heats at 7;30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance or at the gate.

Open class, 4-H and FFA fitting and showing begins at 8 a.m. Thursday for all livestock classes. Horsemanship competition for all classes begin at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the day. Dog competition begins at 10 a.m. and continues all day.

The Moses Lake Roundup kicks off three days of action at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. It’s “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night, where participants wear pink shirts to raise awareness for breast cancer. Tickets are available in advance or at the gate. The rodeo continues at the same time Friday and Saturday.

Friday begins with the annual stock sale. Dairy heifers go first, at 9:30 a.m., followed by beef, swine and sheep.

The 4-H meal preparation contest is at 10 a.m. Events start winding down Friday, but all buildings and exhibits are open until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The carnival stays open until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Livestock judging for FFA and 4-H competitors is at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The FFA tractor driving contest is at 9 a.m. Fashion revue judging and the fashion revue are part of the 4-H activities beginning at 9 a.m. Round robin fitting and showing is at 11 a.m.

ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Road closures, roundabout, mean construction season underway
April 3, 2026 3 a.m.

Road closures, roundabout, mean construction season underway

EPHRATA — The grass is starting to turn green, the trees are starting to leaf out, construction crews are starting to build roundabouts – hey, it’s spring. At least one roundabout project is in its final phase, held over from fall 2025. The intersection of State Route 282 and Nat Washington Way will be closed the week of April 6 to allow crews to install permanent lights. “This really is the final (closure),” wrote Grant County Administrator Tom Gaines in a media release. “The roundabout will close at 6 a.m. Monday, and we plan to reopen by Friday, possibly sooner if the work finishes early.”

Ybarra announces run for Washington Senate
April 2, 2026 1:48 p.m.

Ybarra announces run for Washington Senate

QUINCY — State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, has announced his candidacy for the Washington Senate. If he’s elected, he would replace Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who announced her retirement in March.

Othello Community Museum to open April 25
April 1, 2026 3:45 a.m.

Othello Community Museum to open April 25

OTHELLO — With a couple of new exhibits, a new heating-cooling system, rearranged displays and a thorough cleaning, the Othello Community Museum will open for the summer April 25. The goal, said Molly Popchock, museum board secretary, is to operate for a full season.