Contact Information

200 Linden Street
PO Box 53
Cherokee, IA 51012
Phone 712-225- 5843(July only)
Email:cherokeefair51012@gmail.com

Winter Storage 

We provide Winter Storage for campers, boats, R.V.’s etc from Oct-April in various fair buildings. Click here for more information about Storage or contact us.

Camping Available

We have several camping sites available on the grounds. Click here for more information about Camping or contact us.

Rent the Grounds

The fair board does rent the grounds out for various events as well as the building for graduations, receptions, family reunions, or community events.

Click here for more information about Renting or contact us.

History

1872   First Cherokee County Fair
1873   City of Cherokee Incorporated
1878   First plowing match held in East Wheatland township, Will County, IL (Pilot-Rock plowing matches were patterned after these plowing matches)
1908   Pilot-Rock Plowing Match was started as a roving event in Pilot and Rock townships on September 17,  with 400 people fed at the dinner and 18 entries for plowing
1912   4000 people in attendance
1914   Last year for “thresher style” dinner at noon with fried chicken, boiled ham, baked beans, mashed potatoes, potato salad and pies supplied by the women of the county
1918   First year for tractor classes and livestock exhibits
1919   Event became two days to incorporate all the entries
1921   Annual meeting of the Pilot-Rock Plowing Match Association was referred to as the Cherokee County Livestock Show and Farm Bureau Picnic
1922   Pilot-Rock Plowing match received national fame in the Country Gentlemen magazine
1923   Wallace’s Farmer, Illinois Central Magazine and Chicago Daily Drover covered the event
1924   Baby contests were introduced
1937   Last contest for plowing with horses held
1939   Free acts shown in the afternoon were made night time entertainment
1942-1946   No plowing matches held because of wartime
1952   Grounds were established for the permanent site of the plowing match
1953   August 20 - permanent site dedication was held and was associated with the Cherokee County 4-H Fair
1954   3 large stock barns for 4-H livestock, a scale for weighing animals, lightpoles, fixtures, city water, gates and fences were added to the fairgrounds
1954  The South 4-H building was completed
1955  Family craft building was completed
1956  First carnival featured
1956  First permanent grandstand bleachers available
1970  North 4-H Building was completed
1972 Pilot-Rock Plowing Match became the Cherokee County Fair
1979  The Cattle barn was erected
1980  The Main Stage was completed
1984  The First Combine Demo Derby was held at the Fair
1995  Gary Puckett performed at the Cherokee County Fair
1997  B.J. Thomas performed at the Cherokee County Fair
1998  Swine building was built
2005  Additional ground north of the Cattle Barn was purchased for the horse arena.
2008  Prentiss Lamont ground west  to Hwy 59 was added to the fairgrounds
2010  Construction began on Cherokee County 4-H Expo Center  
2011  Cherokee County Fair received the "Blue Ribbon Fair’ Award by the Board of Directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs.
2013  Memberships were first sold to the Cherokee County 4-H Expo Building
2015  Air-Conditioning and heat was added to the Bomgaars Conference Center
2015  New Swine Show Arena was built
2017 This nice little website was redesigned and upgraded
2020 Fair postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19
2023  The Cherokee County Fair celebrated its 100th year 
2024  The Lily of the Valley school was moved to the fairgrounds