Mayor’s Message – Lyle Holmgren

August 2025

This year highlights a historic milestone for our community—the 100th anniversary of the Box Elder County Fair and Golden Spike Rodeo. For a century, families, farmers, rodeo fans, and fairgoers from across Northern Utah and neighboring states have gathered in Tremonton to celebrate our rural heritage, honor our agricultural roots, and create lasting memories.

What started as an annual Competition Day, sponsored by the Box Elder County Farm Bureau and the Tremonton Commercial Club, eventually grew into a county-wide movement to establish the Box Elder County Fair. The desire to turn the annual Competition Day into a full-fledged county fair had been debated by city, county, Farm Bureau leaders, and others for quite some time.

Then, on June 24th, 1925, the Tremonton Commercial Club held a meeting with the Box Elder Farm Bureau and other county leaders, during which Tremonton City offered to sponsor the county fair “for any stated number of years, free of charge” on a recently purchased five-acre parcel of land. “A motion, unanimously carried,” by members of the Tremonton Commercial Club actively backed the establishment of the Box Elder County Fair, which was scheduled to be held in September that year.

From those beginnings, the Box Elder County Fair has evolved into one of the most anticipated events of the year, attracting tens of thousands of visitors while preserving its authentic county fair charm. Generations have come together each August to show prized livestock and poultry, cheer on young 4-H and FFA participants, share homemade goods, and watch some of the best rodeo athletes in the West compete under the stadium lights.

The Box Elder County Fairgrounds is a place where the past meets the present—where grandparents share stories of showing animals decades ago, and children dream of their 4-H or FFA projects being the grand champion. No matter what the ribbon says, in their eyes, their hog, steer, lamb, or goat is a champion. From the smell of fresh sawdust and the excitement of entering livestock and poultry projects, to the carnival and food booths, to the thrill of Utah’s oldest rodeo, the Box Elder County Fair and Golden Spike Rodeo are more than just events. They are a tradition.

To honor this centennial year, the fair will feature special exhibits highlighting 100 years of history—photos, artifacts, and stories from the community that trace the evolution of the fair from its agricultural roots to today’s high-tech tractors and rodeo spotlights.

To kick off the August celebration, a play written by local playwright Marvin Hull and performed by local actors will be held at the Old Barn Theater August 7-9, honoring the original leaders and supporters who started the county fair in 1925.

On Monday, August 18, in the afternoon, a special “Horse and Wagon Only” parade will take place, celebrating our roots. The parade will start at the fairgrounds and proceed east on Hwy 102 (Borgstrom Brothers Memorial Highway) to Tremont Street, then head north to 600 North and west back to the fairgrounds.

This celebration is not just about the past—it’s about our future. The fair continues to teach responsibility, sportsmanship, and community pride to the next generation. As we honor 100 years of the Box Elder County Fair and Golden Spike Rodeo, we look forward with gratitude, determination, and a deep sense of unity.

Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Bring your boots, cowboy hats, stories, and families—be part of a century-old tradition that still unites us. Here’s to 100 years of memories—and to the next 100 years!