Chris Young and Matt Schuster headline the LaPorte County Fair

After an impressive performance by young country artists the night before with Priscilla Block and Conner Smith, the LaPorte County Fair kept the country theme going. Chris Young and special guest Matt Schuster treated fairgoers to some of their best hits on Wednesday, July 10.

Glenna Sunn, a resident of La Porte County, is a big fan of the concerts held at the fair.

“I came here with my great-grandson and we looked at everything,” Sunn said. “The concerts are probably one of the best parts of the fair. They do a great job of bringing in unique artists here. We also like to look at animals, since my granddaughter has sheep and goats.”

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Variety is an essential ingredient to making the fair an attraction that people want to visit again and again. Steve Mrozinski, chairman of the board of the LaPorte County Fair, points out that it is imperative for them to improve the fair each year. He shared his excitement about bringing a country superstar like Chris Young to La Porte County.

“Our fair is the oldest fair in Indiana,” Mrozinski said. “We’re in our 178th year. You come here and the people are great. The crowd that comes is fantastic and we have vendors that have been here forever. Everyone likes to come here to have fun, so we try to make everything great. With a performance like Chris Young, I think the crowd will really appreciate that.”

The seats were packed with people wearing cowboy hats and boots, getting in the mood to see one of their favorite artists, Chris Young. Alex Trichak has been a fan for four years and has long had this date marked on her calendar.

“I’m excited to be able to listen to a lot of his songs from 2021,” Trichak said. “I would say ‘I’m Comin’ Over’ and ‘Gettin’ You Home’ are my two favorites of his. Although ‘Young Love & Saturday Nights’ is a great song too.”

It’s a big deal for the people of La Porte County to bring not only a country superstar like Chris Young to the fair, but also an up-and-coming artist like Matt Schuster. Trichak appreciates what the fair has been able to put together for their concert appearances lately.

“La Porte has been really good the last few years,” Trichak said. “We saw Walker Hayes and Miranda Lambert a few years ago. I don’t live in La Porte County anymore, so it’s a real treat for me to see some of these artists perform here.”

There is a lot to do at the fair. Raymond Belz, games operator for the LaPorte County Fair, is passionate about everything the fair has to offer and loves having a front row seat to all the action.

“I like the whole atmosphere of the fair,” Belz said. “It’s a lot of fun to get everything ready for the city in less than a day. Some people might see the Ferris wheel from outside and be drawn in. Then when they’re inside, they see all the great food and concerts we have. It’s an absolute blast.”

From impressive musical performances to one-of-a-kind meals, Belz has seen it all at the fair. He is grateful that the fair has maintained that iconic character while growing in popularity.

“I’ve been doing this for about 30 years,” Belz said. “It’s pretty nostalgic for me to come back here every time. We always look forward to the LaPorte County Fair and try to make it better every time.”

Although the main concerts have already ended, the LaPorte County Fair will continue through Saturday, July 13th.

For more information about the LaPorte County Fair, visit their website.