Beyond the Badge, Bench and Boardroom: Local Leaders Share Their Favorite Fair Traditions
- John Eads
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
TROY, Mo. — For most of the year, Lincoln County residents know these men and women through commission meetings, court hearings, emergency calls and city board meetings.
This week, though, the suits, uniforms and nameplates take a back seat.
At the Lincoln County Fair, judges become parents cheering from the grandstands, elected officials become volunteers, and first responders find a few moments to enjoy the same traditions as everyone else.
For many of them, the fair begins in the livestock barns.
Associate Circuit Judge Rebecca Richardson says her favorite part is watching the pride on children's faces after months of work preparing their 4-H and FFA projects. Lincoln County Coroner Dan Heavin shares that sentiment, saying seeing young exhibitors rewarded for their dedication is something he looks forward to every year. Associate Circuit Judge Michael Jacobs enjoys seeing Lincoln County's agricultural roots continue through another generation, though he admits he's just as likely to be found with a peach lemonade in hand.
For Presiding Commissioner Joe Kaimann, those traditions have become family traditions of his own.
What started years ago with caring for animals is now something he gets to experience with his children. While plenty has changed around the fairgrounds over the years, he says one thing never has—the food stand remains one of the best places to catch up with neighbors.
For others, the fair isn't measured in ribbons at all. It's measured in memories.
Lincoln County Treasurer Brenda O'Brien still looks forward to the parade every year, just as she did when she was a little girl. Later, she watched her own children show steers, pigs and rabbits through 4-H and FFA. Now, those memories are simply part of what Fair Week has become.
Collector Tracy Martin's connection stretches back even further.
She remembers when the fair was held at Fairgrounds Park, watched her own children show livestock, celebrated when her daughter was crowned Fair Queen in 2015 and now cheers on her grandchildren as they make memories of their own. Between family events, she can usually be found volunteering in the soda stand, where she says she's constantly reminded how respectful Lincoln County's young people are.
Of course, the fair has always been just as much about seeing people as seeing the attractions.
County Clerk Kenny Schulte calls it Lincoln County's annual reunion—a week when classmates, old friends and neighbors somehow all cross paths again.
Winfield Mayor Nicole Hanson says Fair Week wouldn't be complete without at least a little rain. She laughs that the weather seems to find every volunteer shift she works, bringing muddy parking lots, stuck vehicles and plenty of soaked shoes. Even then, she says people somehow leave smiling, making those moments just another part of the fair experience.
Silex Alderman Steve McDonald has one of those stories himself.
After spending more than three decades volunteering in the kitchen, a knee injury is keeping him on the sidelines this year. One of his favorite memories came when friends' grandchildren spray-painted his hair. As the kitchen heated up, the paint began running down his face, leaving him looking, as he describes it, more like Dennis Rodman than a volunteer cook.
Even those working throughout the week find themselves becoming part of the tradition.
Lincoln County Ambulance District Chief Ray Antonacci says crews remain prepared for heat-related illnesses, blisters and the occasional emergency, but they still enjoy being part of one of the county's biggest gatherings.
By week's end, the carnival rides will be packed away, ribbons will be handed out and another Lincoln County Fair will be in the books.
What remains are the traditions shared by thousands of families—including the people residents usually know only by their titles.
For one week each summer, everyone simply becomes neighbors enjoying the Lincoln County Fair together.
About Lincoln CountyWatch
Lincoln CountyWatch is part of the County Watch Network (CWN), an independent local news organization providing fact-based coverage of Lincoln County and the surrounding region. Our reporting includes breaking news, public safety, local government, courts, business, community events, weather, and investigative journalism.
Our newsroom is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency, fire department, EMS agency, government entity, court system, political organization, or elected official. Editorial decisions are made independently and are based on available facts, public records, court records, official documents, interviews, photographs, video evidence, on-the-record statements, and other verified sources available at the time of publication. Articles may be updated or corrected as additional verified information becomes available.
Individuals mentioned in our reporting are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The filing or non-filing of criminal charges, an arrest, or the existence of an investigation should not be interpreted as evidence of guilt.
For corrections, clarifications, news tips, event submissions, or story ideas, contact tips@lincolncountywatch.com.
Primary Sources
Lincoln CountyWatch interviews with local elected officials
Associate Circuit Judge Rebecca Richardson
Lincoln County Coroner Dan Heavin
Associate Circuit Judge Michael Jacobs
Presiding Commissioner Joe Kaimann
Lincoln County Treasurer Brenda O'Brien
Lincoln County Collector Tracy Martin
Lincoln County Clerk Kenny Schulte
Winfield Mayor Nicole Hanson
Silex Alderman Steve McDonald
Lincoln County Ambulance District Chief Ray Antonacci
Comments