It’s Iowa County Fair time at the fairgrounds in Mineral Point that runs Thursday thru Labor Day Monday. We take turns covering days at the fair. My main day is Saturday – Beef and Lamb Show Day plus the Junior Fair Livestock Auction and more! That’s 5 days of activities going on at the Iowa County Fairgrounds in Mineral Point. Like they say, “It’s Your Fair – Be There!” If you want to see people you haven’t seen in say … forever … then it’s definitely worth the price of admission!
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This is the 170th Iowa County Fair. It’s hard to believe that I have been alive for 1/2 of them! I think I probably have been at nearly that many too as my folks were fair goers. We showed purebred Hampshire hogs there. I can remember breeds like Durocs, Chester Whites, Berkshires, Yorkshires and probably more being at the fair. Now it’s just barrows being shown with gilts joining a few years ago. A lot of the rest of the fair is pretty much the same – the food services, Midway rides and games, Fair House, etc.
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Saturday morning breakfast took us to the west. We landed in Fennimore at Friederick’s Family Restaurant, on the corner of Highways 18 and 60 as you would turn to go toward Prairie du Chien. It was Terry, Potsie and me riding with Tom from the Chronicle office at 7:30 a.m., meeting and picking up Royce in Cobb at the Methodist Church parking lot. We arrived and found a table right away. The place had several tables full as well as a few booths. Jaimie was our waitress. I opted for something a little different – Chicken Fried Steak with eggs, toast and hash browns, onions and cheese. I was pretty well filled up by the time I finished (last again)! Potsie kept running into people he knew. We did have former Dodgeville resident Phil Alm stop and talk for a few minutes. Jaimie kept our coffee cups filled after we flagged her down the first time!
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My nearly every day stop at Cathryn’s Market – right next door to the Chronicle, was cut short Saturday. They had to close at noon due-to-no-help problems. They were also closed on Sunday, but that was OK because I had Fall Ball starting that day. They have one in training and were interviewing another that Saturday. The place was packed right up until 12:17 when I got my drink (Mike’s Magic Mint). Gavin was on the register constantly and Brittany was making the drinks. It was Brittany’s last day, and I got to give her a hug like the others that had recently left. She’s a PA in Montfort and Highland at the Upland Hills Health Clinics. I told her would drop over and see her sometime. She said she hoped I didn’t mean “literally” so she would stop by the Chronicle to see me!
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I mentioned “Fall Ball” earlier. We started last Sunday at both Centennial Park and the High School Field at the Middle School. After taking off this coming Sunday due to the Iowa County Fair and Labor Day, Dodgeville plays the first two games each week at Centennial Park (10:00 & noon). There are two other game following them at 2:00 & 4:00. There are two games at the Middle School at 10:00 & noon. There will be concession stands at both fields. Dodgeville parents will run the one at Centennial Park for their two games, and then wait for me to finish at the Middle School stand so I will finish at Centennial Park! Any help at the Middle School and last two games at Centennial Park would be appreciated! All proceeds go to Dodgeville Baseball for field stuff, equipment, baseballs, umpires, etc.
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I understand that Dodgeville is getting a new business next to Cathryn’s Market in the near future. More will come on that as it gets closer! I also understand that the lot next to Culver’s has been sold – sources say to Culver’s.
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Also, Peoples Community Bank opened Monday at the former RR Donnely building in the strip mall on the north side of Leffler Street and Walmart. *
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I’m jumping to Saturday for my Special Day this week. It’s International Bacon Day that is celebrated on Saturday, September 5, 2026, which is the Saturday before Labor Day. It is an unofficial holiday dedicated to tasting, cooking, and celebrating bacon. It started around 2004 with college graduate students in Colorado. Oh, and like the saying goes: “Everything is better with bacon !?
