8-28-2025 8:33pm

Children's Day at Saline Community Fair Features Fun Activities for Families

Children’s Day at the Saline Fair began on Thursday with the popular Touch a Truck event. Families visited displays and booths, collecting items in free tote bags as children explored the many trucks, tractors and utility vehicles.

Leslie Drake, treasurer and Saline Community Fair board member, was helping with Touch a Truck and welcoming families.

“It’s a great day for them to come out. We’ve got lots of stuff for Touch a Truck here,” Drake said. “The big draw is that they can actually go in and touch and sit and get familiar with it so that they’re not scared of stuff going down the road. There are also activities under the Open Show arena, games and face painting that they can partake in. Lots of fun stuff.”

Marvin Feldcamp presented a new traveling museum exhibit this year that featured his collection of toy tractors and farm memorabilia.

“We just put this together this summer,” he said. “I have part of my collection of International Harvester stuff. Miniature tractors of 1/16th scale. I’ve got all kinds of memorabilia that I’ve collected over the years from different shows and auctions.”

Children could climb into different vehicles and imagine what it would be like to be a fireman, police officer, EMT, farmer, and sanitation worker.

Dustin Drake represented the city of Dexter’s road crew.

“I’m here with the city of Dexter, and we’re here with our plow truck,” he said. “The kids like playing with the horns and seeing the flashing lights.”

Families could wander the farm council grounds to visit animals and experience what it might be like to be a farmer. Children could play at stations that allowed them to pick apples, dig for potatoes, gather eggs, and milk cows.

Fair participants were on hand, tending to their animals and answering questions.

Nicole Dyer was helping to clean stalls for the Saline Feeder Calf Club with her sons Aidan and Ethan. Ethan brought his calf, Sweetie Pie the Third, for the competition.

“This is their third year in the Saline Feeder Calf Club. There are 19 club members ages 6 to 18, and 30 fair buds ages three to five,” Dyer said.

Elissa Weidmayer was helping daughters Caty and Grace as they tended to their calves, Aladdin and Applejack.

“I won junior showmanship,” Caty said.

Grace also won at the competition.

“I won right of gain, which means that he gained the most pounds per day out of all the feeder calves,” she said.

In the open show arena, costumed characters were available for photos. Kids could get their faces painted and visit booths from local businesses and organizations.

The fair continues on Friday with Seniors and Ladies Day, followed by Heroes Day and Family Day on Saturday and concluding with Agriculture Day on Sunday.