Fairgoers enjoy rides at the Putnam County Fair in Eleanor on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
LAURA BILSON | Gazette-Mail
ELEANOR — Despite the heat and an occasional afternoon downpour, the Putnam County Fair is always a family affair.Â
On Wednesday, fairgoers persevered through a bit of rain and were rewarded with a clear but humid evening of rides, wrestling and the Kids Kar Extravaganza Motocross races.
"It's not the Putnam County Fair if it's not hot as all get-out," said R.D. Herdman of Mason County.
Everett Herdman, 5, jumps on a bungee ride at the Putnam County Fair in Eleanor on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
LAURA BILSON | Gazette-Mail
Herdman has attended this fair since before he can remember. He began showing pigs at 9 years old through the 4-H program. His daughter, Lola, 9, showed her first calf this year. Jasper, her black-and-white calf, was the lightest in the feeder calf category, but "she's had a good time," Herdman said. "She put most of the work into this."
Herdman spoke highly of the 4-H program.
"Everybody's pretty good about helping everybody," he said. "A lot of us are family."
Destry Stump, a carnival worker who has worked at this fair for 5½ seasons, said the day was slow.
"There [were] people here, but people don't spend a lot anymore, because of the way things are going. It ain't like the old days, when you could come in with 20 bucks and come out with 10 bucks," Stump said.
Junior Smith and his calf, Big Tex, wait for the Feeder Calf category at the Putnam County Fair in Eleanor on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Smith raised Big Tex in the 4H program.
Destry Stump poses for a portrait at the Putnam County Fair in Eleanor on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Stump has been a carnival worker here for 5½ seasons. He said the day was “slow. There [were] people here but people don’t spend a lot no more because the way things are going. It ain’t like the old days when you could come in with 20 bucks and come out with 10 bucks.â€
Laura Bilson is a visual journalist at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Gazette-Mail. She can be reached at lbilson@hdmediallc.com. Follow her on Instagram: @laura_bilson.
