Gene Autry and Annie Oakley at the 1957 Lorain County Fair

July 29, 1957 Lorain Journal ad promoting Gene Autry’s appearance at the Fair

It’s Lorain County Fair Week – one of my favorite weeks of the year! It’s the perfect time to look back at what kind of entertainment was featured at a past fair, in this case the 1957 edition – 58 years ago.

None other than Gene Autry, America’s Favorite Singing Cowboy was the headliner, along with his horse Champion. (Also appearing was Little Champ, a “well-trained trick pony” according to Champion’s Wikipedia page.)

As this ad below, which ran in the August 17, 1957 edition of the Lorain Journal reveals, there was something for everyone at the 1957 Lorain County Fair.

Musical acts included Mel Tillis (who is still touring), Minnie Pearl, the Smith Twins and the Great Scots barbershop quartet from Steubenville, Ohio. (The international finalist quartet performed in full dress Scottish kilts.)

For more Western fun, there was Annie Oakley (Actress Gail Davis) from the syndicated television series of the same name that ran from January 1954 to February 1957. Annie Oakley was produced by Gene Autry’s Flying A Productions, and Davis had also appeared in many films for Gene’s Autry’s production company.

Gail Davis as Annie Oakley

For thrills, there were Jack Kochman’s Auto Daredevils. Here’s a link to the www.sideshowworld.com website with some information about auto thrill show producer Jack Kochman.

And here’s a small sample of the type of show that the crowd at the Fair might have seen that day.

And for the 2015 Lorain County Fair’s entertainment lineup, click here.