Price County Fair Fireworks and Livestock: The Dispute, Expl

Less than a week before the 140th Price County Fair, the fair board and livestock exhibitors are at odds over one night: Thursday, August 20, when fireworks are scheduled to go off on the fairgrounds while youth show animals are housed there. The dispute has spilled onto Facebook, and the board has called a meeting for Thursday night, August 6, to address it.

TLDR: The Price County Fair Board scheduled fireworks on the fairgrounds for Thursday, August 20, during fair week with livestock present. Livestock exhibitors say that risks animal welfare and that notification came too late; the board says exhibitors were emailed 19 days ahead, can remove animals after 8 PM, and no animals or people were injured in last year’s display. Both sides discuss it at the Fairgrounds Dining Hall, Thursday, August 6, at 7:30 PM.

Quick Answer: The dispute centers on fireworks scheduled for Thursday, August 20 at the Price County Fair in Phillips (the fair runs August 20–22). The fair board says a letter went to all livestock exhibitors 19 days before the fair, offering the option to remove animals after 8 PM and return after the show, and that last year’s display caused no injuries. Exhibitors counter that the notice came after entries were registered, that hauling animals out mid-fair is impractical for many families, and that last year’s show caused panic and injuries. A public fair board meeting is set for Thursday, August 6, at 7:30 PM in the Dining Hall at the fairgrounds.

The Price County Fair fireworks dispute, explained

Last updated: August 2026

By Price County Fun Editorial Team | Price County, Wisconsin

The 2026 Price County Fair runs Thursday, August 20 through Saturday, August 22 at the fairgrounds on Forest Lane in Phillips, marking 140 years of the event. Thursday is Community Day, and the board announced free general admission for it, though the fair’s official website still listed a $15 Thursday admission as of this writing. Fireworks by Palas Pyro LLC are planned to launch from the fairgrounds after the evening concert featuring Hip Pocket, in partnership with Price County Music in the Park. Because livestock shows run Thursday morning through afternoon in the Historic Barn, animals are on the grounds when the fireworks are set to go off.

That combination, fireworks on site while youth-owned livestock are stalled on the grounds, is the heart of the disagreement. Animal welfare advocates and several livestock families say the noise and flashing lights put show animals at risk. The fair board says it planned for that risk and communicated it in advance.

What livestock exhibitors and advocates are saying

Criticism first surfaced through Facebook posts, including from the Ranch of Rescued Hope page, which says exhibitors were told about the fireworks only after exhibits were signed up. The post claims hauling animals out mid-fair after 8 PM and back in the same night is impractical: entry day already takes a full day to load and unload, and families who live too far to trailer off would have to leave young, inexperienced animals on site through the display.

The post also alleges last year’s fireworks “was a disaster, with cows, pigs and horses all in a panic, youth trying desperately to calm their animals, injuries and chaos,” and that exhibitors were told it would never happen again. That account directly conflicts with the board’s statement, which says no animals or people were injured last year. The disagreement over last year is unresolved, and this article presents both sides as each told it.

Commenters on the board’s own post raised similar points. Carol Noftz, who said she did cowboy mounted shooting for years, questioned expecting teenagers and young children to leave the fair at 8 PM and return after fireworks that could end near midnight: “When you’ve been at fair all day showing your animals, they are already exhausted.” Barb Herbst said most exhibitors are local youth and that notification came late Sunday, August 2 (after registration), and argued most regional fairs schedule fireworks on the final day after livestock has been released.

What the fair board says in response

The Price County Fair Board issued a formal statement on its Facebook page titled “Price County Fair Statement Regarding Thursday Evening Fireworks.” It says the safety of every animal on the fairgrounds “has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority,” and that a letter was emailed to all livestock exhibitors 19 days prior to the fair outlining the fireworks schedule and options for animal care.

Per the letter, exhibitors may remove their animals from the fairgrounds after 8:00 PM on Thursday and return following the fireworks display, and were encouraged to consult their veterinarian if they had concerns. The board’s announcement also notes that this year’s show is the same arrangement as last year’s, run by the same vendor.

The statement stresses the fair is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom are livestock owners themselves or have children exhibiting. It says a board member reached out to other Wisconsin county fairs that host fireworks with livestock on the grounds, and that the board has been in communication with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and other state officials.

On the central dispute, the board is direct: “During last year’s fireworks display at the Price County Fair, no animals or people were injured or harmed.” It also says fireworks are “a long-standing tradition and a popular attraction at county fairs across Wisconsin,” while acknowledging that “conversations on social media often capture only part of a situation.”

The dispute over last year’s fireworks

The biggest factual disagreement is over what happened in 2025. The fair board says no animals or people were injured. Some exhibitors and advocates describe a night of panicked animals, stressed youth, and at least one reported injury. Neither side has produced documentation to settle it publicly, and the board’s statement does not directly address the claim that exhibitors were promised fireworks would never again be held with livestock present.

This matters because it is the difference between “a safe event we’re repeating” and “an event we were told would never happen again.” Until the board, exhibitors, or meeting records clarify it, it remains an unresolved point of fact that the two sides tell differently.

How common are fireworks at Wisconsin county fairs?

The board says hosting fireworks during fair week is “far from unique” among Wisconsin county fairs. Critics disagree, with one commenter citing Ashland, Taylor, Iron, Bayfield, and Lincoln counties as examples of regional fairs that do not list fireworks in their attraction flyers, and another relaying a secondhand claim that few Wisconsin county fairs list fireworks.

The truth appears to sit between the two: some Wisconsin fairs do hold fireworks, but many schedule them on the final night or after livestock has left the grounds. The Wisconsin State Fair, for reference, prohibits fireworks and explosives on site for guests. Neither side has published a verified statewide tally, so this article does not treat either number as established.

What happens next: the August 6 fair board meeting

The fair board has invited the public to its next meeting, set for Thursday, August 6, at 7:30 PM in the Dining Hall at the Price County Fairgrounds. The board’s statement says it “has never closed the door to conversations” and welcomes suggestions, and it encourages anyone with concerns to bring them directly to the board.

For exhibitors and families deciding whether to show this year, the meeting is the immediate decision point. The fair opens August 20, so the board’s response at the August 6 meeting (whether fireworks stay, move, or change how livestock are handled) will shape what happens on the grounds two weeks later.

See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin When you want a hot meal after camping, Ripsaw Saloon in Prentice is open Thu–Sun from 2 PM.

Price County Fair Fireworks and Livestock: The Dispute, Explained