Attendance at the fair has gone up by about 75% over past levels since it expanded attractions last year, said fair board Treasurer Michele Smith.

This was the second year for the ninja obstacle course. The course, complete with tires, bars and hurdles, is getting more added to it each year, Smith said.

The toughest parts came last. Competitors strained to move peg by peg by putting a ring around them and swinging to the next one. Once done with that, their reward was scaling a tall curved wall to reach the platform above.

Trent Lutzke of Hancock scaled the summit on his second try, hoisting his arms in victory.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Trent Lutzke of Hancock powers through a ninja course at the Ontonagon County Fair.

“I thought it was going to be a lot easier,” he said afterward. “But I couldn’t feel my arms at the end.”

Also expanding in its second year is the carnival, which has more rides and food trucks, Smith said.

“If you’re under 12 today, this is the place to be,” she said. “Good carnival food and lots of rides, lots of things to see.”

Lisa Ruuti of Ontonagon came with her daughter, Madison, 5. It’s their second time at the fair after moving back to Michigan. Madison’s favorite is the swing ride.

In the animal barns, Emma Cocher, 3, of Mass City was looking at chicks in the incubators. She entered six chickens, cows and a sheep in the fair, said her mother, Nicole Cocher, a member of the Fair Board.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Numerous kinds of animals were on display at this year’s Ontonagon County Fair, including alpacas.

“It gets the kids involved,” said Nicole’s husband, Matt. “Livestock’s been down the next couple of years. My goal’s to build it up. There’s no one underneath our generation who wants to do cows and farming.”

Emma’s favorite part of the fair: “Horses.” Think more about it, she added sheep and cows.

Plenty of people also entered art or food exhibits into the fair. The top exhibitor was Glade Kocher of Mass City. Winning in the junior division was Cassandra Steffensen of Ontonagon.

She’s been entering for the past five years, mostly paintings with the occasional craftwork.

“It’s pretty nice,” she said. “It was unexpected this year. I didn’t enter as many things.”

In addition to the “tons” of animals being exhibited this year, there was a petting zoo offering pony rides, Smith said. Friday night, the fair had the Adventure Idol singing competition and the fair Princess pageant, and a cheesecake contest.

Sunday’s horse show was anticipated to have at least 36 horses competing.

“We’ve got a very supportive community, and we do fundraisers all through the year if we make enough money to have a fair,” Smith said.

In September, the fair will hold a fall festival. The obstacle course will return, as well as pumpkin chucking, hay bales and a horse show.

Smith’s winter project was compiling recipes for the fair’s cookbook.

“I think we’ve sold about 20 today, so it’s popular,” she said.