The Inter-State Fair and Rodeo in Coffeyville means birthday time at the Purdon household.
The sons of Trisha and Joe Purdon, who are four and two years old, and whose birthdays are August 19 and 23, get to celebrate their birthdays at the fair.
They love it, their mom said. “They get to have a carnival or a demo derby or rodeo for their birthdays, and it’s the best.” Rather than hosting birthday parties, the Purdons eat cake at home then come to the fair with the boys, family and friends. “As kids, they have the coolest birthdays on the face of the planet every year at the fair.”
The Purdon family, who has lived in Montgomery County for six years and in Coffeyville for the past four, invites friends from Kansas City and Tulsa for the weekend, and the big city dwellers get to see what a hometown event is like, Purdon said. “Everyone loves experiencing what a real fair and rodeo is like.”
Purdon grew up in Kiowa County, Kansas, and the Inter-State Fair reminds her of her roots. “It reminds me of growing up, when everyone gets together as a community. You see friends and relatives, people you don’t normally get to see, in an atmosphere of fun.”
As executive director for the Montgomery County Action Council, Purdon also appreciates what the fair does for local businesses. “When we have businesses that have invested all year long, growing their company, then they get to come to the fair and rodeo and put out their information, it’s a great opportunity for them, too. They give back to the community and community events, and that benefits not just the citizens but the economy as well.”
She is impressed with the longevity and size of the fair. “I’m a Kansas girl and I’ve lived all over the state. This fair and rodeo, its size, the vendors, the shows, is really mind boggling that a town of this size can do something so extraordinary.”
This year’s fair, the 110th edition, will be held August 13-18, with five nights of grandstand entertainment. The grandstand events are as follows: August 14 freestyle motocross; August 15 bull riding; August 16-17 PRCA rodeo; August 18 demo derby.
Highlights of the fair include the bake sale on August 13; the parade at 4 pm on August 16; the bean and watermelon feed on the 16th at 5:30 pm, and the buddy barrow show on August 16 at 6:30 pm. The 2018 Inter-State Fair and Rodeo Queen will be crowned prior to the rodeo on August 17.
Tickets for the grandstand events are $15 for general admission, $30 for Chutes A, and $25 for Chutes B and C. Fun passes, admitting the bearer to all grandstand events, are $30 through August 1. After August 1, fun passes increase to $40. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fairandrodeo.com, at the Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce, and at the gate. A $5 postage fee will be applied to all mailed ticket orders, and a $3 convenience fee is added to all tickets.
