New show arena up at fairgrounds, name honors Kevin Lee

BY BECKY UEHLING

GRANT TRIBUNE 

A new show arena is up at the Perkins County Fairgrounds. The fair board is excited to announce the building will be called the Kevin Lee Memorial Show Arena, honoring former fair board member Kevin Lee who died in an accident in early 2023.

Planning for the new arena began in 2023, with the building’s installation being finished the middle of January 2026, said Fair Board Secretary Patsy Kroeker. Pens and utilities still need to be completed in the building before the fair, which is planned for July 12-18, 2026. Regier Equipment of Madrid purchased the old show building.

Patsy Kroeker said other updates planned for the fairgrounds before the fair include improvements to the static building, including new insulation, ceiling, lighting and doors.

Entertainment for this year’s fair is still being secured, she said, and will be announced in the near future.

Members of the Perkins County Fair Board are as follows: Kasey Kroeker, Shawn Tjaden, Seth Burge, Samantha Goff, Russell Lee, Dan Lee, Tom Foster, Elliott Peterson, and Sam Lee. Associate members include Blake Poppe, Dusty Runner, Austin Thelander, Kylie Croup, Lonnie Kuenning, Trevor Johnson, Mitch Reimers and Kevin Chavira. Kroeker said anyone can serve as an associate member of the fair board, and those interested should reach out to any fair board member.