LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – With less than a week until the Allen County Fair officially opens, the fair parade brought the community together to celebrate its 175th anniversary.
A preview of the fair rolled through downtown Lima as members of the Junior Fair, high school bands, cheer squads, and others showcased their personalities on floats. They also introduced residents to the many projects, 4-H groups, and shows they can enjoy during the 2025 fair. One person who knows the event well is parade grand marshal Chad Hughes, a longtime fixture at the fairgrounds.
“The Fair has been such a huge, huge part of my life. I started working there when I was nine, and then I was the fair mascot for many, many years. Built one of the original websites. The fair is how I spend my summer. So it is. It means so much to me that people mean so much to me. All the volunteers that make the fair happen have become just extended family,” said Hughes, the 2025 Allen County Fair Parade grand marshal.
Hughes also produced a documentary about the 175th anniversary of the Allen County Fair to highlight its growth into one of the largest county fairs in Ohio.
“I hope that they get to see themselves, see their family members, see their friends, and I hope it just brings up a lot of happy memories that they have at the Allen County Fair, and also, I hope everybody gets to learn a little bit about the interesting History of the fairgrounds and where all it's been,” Hughes said.
The documentary on the first 175 years of the Allen County Fair will air on NBC Lima at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! will air on the CBS Lima for that night only. The Allen County Fair opening ceremonies are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15, at 4 p.m.
