LIMA, Ohio – With less than a week until the Allen County Fair officially begins, the fair parade brought the community together to commemorate its 175th anniversary.
A preview of the fair rolled through downtown Lima, with members of the Junior Fair, high school bands, cheer squads, and other groups displaying their personalities on floats. They also introduced residents to the various projects, 4-H groups, and shows available at the 2025 fair. Chad Hughes, parade grand marshal and a long-time fairgrounds fixture, is one person who is familiar with the event.
“The fair has been a huge part of my life. I started working there when I was nine, and I was the fair’s mascot for many years. Developed one of the original websites. The fair is how I spend my summer. So it is. People mean a lot to me. Hughes, the grand marshal of the 2025 Allen County Fair Parade, stated that all of the volunteers who help make the fair happen have become like extended family.
Hughes also made a documentary about the Allen County Fair’s 175th anniversary, highlighting its expansion into one of Ohio’s largest county fairs.
“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 informed the audience.
The documentary about the first 175 years of the Allen County Fair will air on NBC Lima at 7 p.m. on Monday, August 11. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! will be broadcast on CBS Lima for one night only. The Allen County Fair opens on Friday, August 15, at 4 p.m.
