St. John stock show starts run of celebrations

The annual St. John Community Fair and Stock Show is slated for this weekend, with activities booked throughout each day at the St. John fairgrounds.

The fun starts today, Thursday, at 8 a.m. with food, sewing, adult arts and crafts, photography and flower entries being accepted until 12 p.m. in the home economics building. Judging will be from 1 to 5 p.m. with the building closed to the public during that time. The building will open for public viewing at 5 p.m.

At 11 a.m., the Cook Shack will open.

Livestock entries will be accepted today from 12 to 5 p.m.

Friday will start with fitting and showing classes beginning at 9 a.m., with sheep showings slated at 9 a.m., followed by goats at 9:30 a.m., swine at 10 a.m. and beef at 11 a.m.

Conformation classes are slated for 1 p.m., with beef starting at 1 p.m., sheep at 2 p.m., goats and meat class at 3 p.m. and swine 3:30 p.m.

A round robin competition will follow the last class.

The Cook Shack will open Saturday morning with the cowboy breakfast served from at 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Those participating in the 38th Annual Hog Jog can register from 7 to 8 a.m. at the city park and pick up numbers at the same time. Entry fee on race day is $10 per entrant for the run only, or $20 for the run and T-shirt. The jog offers a two-mile non-competitive course as well as a five-mile course with gradual hills at miles two and four. A two-mile competitive course will also be offered for runners 12 and younger. The Hog Jog will start at 8:30 a.m.

The first male and female finisher for each course will receive free entry for the 2017 Hog Jog, and the top three in each age group for competitive courses will receive ribbons.

The 4H and FFA Horse Show will start at 9 a.m., and the 4H, FFA and adult livestock judging will begin at 9:30 a.m.

The fair parade on Front Street will start at noon Saturday.

Games at the livestock show arena and Fairgrounds will follow the parade at 1 p.m., with an awards presentation and drawing also booked for that time. The 4H and FFA horse show will continue at 1:30 p.m., and animals can be removed from the grounds at 5 p.m.

Sunday the community building at the fairgrounds will open at 8 a.m., and Saddle Club play day will start at 9 a.m. The Cook Shack will also open again at 9 a.m.

From 9 to 9:45 a.m., those interested can register for the Pig Putt at the St. John Golf and Country Club. The Pig Putt will begin at 10 a.m.

Exhibits can be removed from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and clean up day is scheduled for Monday, April 25.

The St. John Stock Show and Community Fair is the first in a series of spring and summer events around the county.

Garfield May Day is next up on May 21, and Rosalia Battle Days will follow on June 4. Tekoa’s Slippery Gulch and LaCrosse’s Farmers’ Festival will follow on June 18.

Fourth of July events are booked in Johnson, Albion, Endicott and Pullman.

Oakesdale’s Old Mill Days will follow on July 9, and the Colfax Concrete River Festival will be July 8-10.

Pullman’s Lentil Festival is booked for Aug. 19-20, and Palouse Days will cap off the community celebrations Sept. 17.

Dates for the Palouse Empire Fair this year will be Sept 8-11.