Summer and Sunflower Days both start this week, also signaling the beginning of Osage County’s fair season. Melvern’s annual Sunflower Days 4-H Fair gets underway Thursday, June 20, 2019, promising three evenings of entertainment, ever popular open-air bingo, 4-H exhibits of all kinds, a parade, and locals’ favorite carnival.

The Melvern Sunflower Days Fair Board is tasked with carrying on a Melvern tradition that began back on July 4, 1877. A community celebration in a grove east of town turned into an annual gathering, which in 1910 was first celebrated under the name of Melvern Sunflower Days. The 4-H fair became a part of the event in 1948.

Exhibition this year includes the Frontier Extension District’s stockman competition, in which participants compete in four categories, agri-knowledge, livestock judging, showmanship, and advocacy of the livestock industry.

Thursday’s entertainment starts off with everyone going goo-goo over Osage County’s cutest babies. The baby show starts at 6 p.m. June 20, at the Melvern Community Center. Age brackets will be 6 months and under, and 7-12 months. Prizes will be awarded for the winning babies.

Lawhorn Gospel Blues, with Jack and Linda Lawhorn, will be Thursday evening’s featured entertainment. Friday night will feature the HB Drover Band, with Charlie Barber and Steve Herrell. Saturday night will be an old fashioned street dance with the Dirt Grass Canyon Band providing music from the porch of the Red Goose Shoes building.

Always a highlight of the fair is the Melvern Sunflower Fair Days Parade. The theme for the Saturday evening parade will be “Small Town USA – Redneck Jamboree!” Cash prizes will be awarded for the best floats: $200 for first place, $125 for second place, and $75 for third place. All businesses, organizations, groups and individuals are invited to participate. A bike parade will lead the main parade, with every child that rides their decorated bike in the parade receiving a prize. Parents and bike riders should meet at the corner of Main and Spring streets by 6:50 p.m. The main parade is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in downtown Melvern.

See the fair schedule below.

Melvern Sunflower Days 4-H Fair Schedule
June 20 – June 22, 2019

Thursday, June 20, 2019

• 3:30-5:30 p.m. – 4-H exhibit hall registration
• 6 p.m. – Baby show at Melvern Community Center – two age divisions, 0-6 months and 6-12 months, babies to wear diapers only.
• 6 p.m. – Homemade ice cream at Melvern Community Center.
• 6-11 p.m. – Carnival
• 7-8 p.m. – Lawhorn Gospel Blues – featuring Jack and Linda Lawhorn; at the basketball court.
• 8 p.m. – Bingo

Friday, June 21, 2019

• 8-9:30 a.m. – 4-H exhibitor registration.
• 10 a.m. – Exhibit hall judging.
• 1 p.m. – Stockman Competition Round 1 – Livestock Knowledge.
• 3 p.m. – Stockman Competition Round 2 – Livestock Evaluation.
• 6 p.m. – Stockman Competition Round 3 – Showmanship.
• 6-11 p.m. – Carnival.
• 7 p.m. – Homemade ice cream.
• 7-9 p.m. – HB Drover Band – featuring Charlie Barber and Steve Herrell.
• 8 p.m. – Bingo

Saturday, June 22, 2019

• 9 a.m. – Kids games and races at Melvern baseball diamonds.
• 4- 5 p.m. – Osage County Fire District No. 3 – Spray ‘n’ play downtown in front of the Melvern Community Center.
• 6-11 p.m. – Carnival.
• 7 p.m. – Parade – Small Town USA (Redneck Jamboree).
• 7:30 p.m. – Homemade ice cream at Melvern Community Center.
• 7:30 p.m. – Watermelon feed (until watermelon is gone).
• 8 p.m. – Bingo (will start following the parade).
• 8-11 p.m. – Street dance with the Dirt Grass Canyon Band.

For more information, see the Osage County Fair Book available here.