The 2025 Rock Island County Fair is in full swing, and this year, there’s a fresh new feature aimed at young fairgoers and families—“Fairy Tales at the County Fair.” The evening reading series brings community members together to share agriculture-themed storybooks with kids in the most comfortable seat on the fairgrounds.
Rock Island County Farm Bureau Manager Tara Mayhew says it’s part of a growing effort to connect with the next generation. “Each evening, readers pick a book of their choice—usually something with an ag connection—and read to the kids in the Copeland Center,” said Mayhew. “We’ll be reading Thursday night at 5:30.”
The new program joins other kid-friendly events like the popular kiddie tractor pull and ties in with a broader mission to get younger audiences more involved in agriculture. “We focus a lot on youth through 4-H and FFA,” Mayhew added. “But it’s also important to engage kids even earlier with fun, meaningful experiences.”
With strong turnout from families across the Sherrard and Rockridge school districts, the fair is once again proving to be a community favorite.
And for Mayhew, who works closely with both the Rock Island and Mercer County Farm Bureaus, the fair is a reminder of the shared values and partnerships that keep agriculture strong across the region.