ADEL, Iowa — Three weeks to the day after the Dallas County Fair Association Board of Directors announced the cancellation of the July fair and the June rodeo, a rodeo was staged Friday night on the county fairgrounds but under private sponsorship.
“A lot of people worked really hard to make this happen,” said Janet Hick, longtime volunteer.
There was doubt about any rodeo at all after the Fair Board issued its June 5 statement: “In consultation with the Dallas County Health Department, the state of Iowa and other stakeholders, it was determined social distancing guidelines and requirements for mass gatherings prohibit an adequate fair experience for the thousands of fair-goers that fill our barns, arenas and grandstands.”
Thousands did not fill the grandstands Friday night, but hundreds did, primarily young people who whooped it up for the calf roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
“I have to say, what a great first night for the Adel Breakout Rodeo,” said Hick. “Great group of people who had a vision and working together to make the things go off without a hitch.”
The rodeo action continues Saturday night, followed by dancing to the country sounds of Cody Hicks and his band from Montezuma. Wright Rodeo Co. of Lucas, Iowa, stages the event.
Thank you, The Perry News, for promoting this! I have been searching for something to do this weekend and have had a hard time finding something (Cedar Rapids sure is a lot more open than around here) locally to do. I prefer Blues music, but this will do. Last weekend was the Bevington Bluegrass Festival (just as many people camped and attended as last year), and now it’s a rodeo and Country music in Adel.
Hopefully, someone will step up and have a nice big 4th of July celebration with live music and rides for the kids. We know our local cities won’t. We can have a large protest in the heart of Adel (with food vendors), but a July 4th celebration with a live music to celebrate the 4th is somehow dangerous to attend.