Annual Fair event showcases area talent

HARTINGTON — The first night of the 2021 Cedar County Fair started off with performances by all age groups.

From music and gymnastics and hula hooping, the Open Class building was filled with 20 different talent acts from youth and adults.

The Tiny Tot Division, the youngest group, had Bailey Mlady perform. She sang with her grandma a song about grandpas.

“I like this song because I love my grandpas,” said little Mlady.

Her grandma, Lori Larson, played the guitar and helped Bailey feel confident to sing.

“I gave the grandchildren CDs to listen to and Bailey picked this song from one of them,” said Larson. Bailey won her division and got to take home a big first-place ribbon.

The Junior Division had more of a variety of talent. First place went to Emily Climer.

“I did a hula hoop routine that I started practicing a really long time ago,” said Emily, “My grandma had to teach because my mom couldn’t do it at all. I wanted to prove to everyone I could do it and she (her mom) couldn’t. It took off from there.”

Climer started practicing this routine by herself but she explained her mom helped as it got closer to the show.

“I love hula hooping because it gets me out there,” she said, “When I first started I was terrified, but the more I did it the better I felt.”

With water buckets small and big, glowing drum sticks, glow bracelets and necklaces, and strobe lights, the Neon Nights were the next group to perform. Annica Heimes, Ana Steffen, Justin Heimes and Kreyton Koch performed a song they planned out and practiced themselves. They only practiced for about a week and a half. The idea came from Kreyton Koch.

“I went to a band camp and we played bucket drums,” he said. “I told these guys, and we decided to play together.”

Drum solos occurred in the middle of the act and the kids explained that it was somewhat planned out but they improvised, too. They earned Reserve Champion honors in the Junior Division.

Others in the Junior Division sang a variety of songs and did gymnastics.

The Senior Division featured performances from a big group of singers and piano players.

Champion of the Senior division was Quinn Schieffer who sang “Never Enough” from the “Greatest Showman.” “We did this song for my sophomore year Marching show so it holds a special place in my heart,” Schieffer said. She has been singing since she was little and it paid off taking home first place.

The Reserve Champion of the Senior Class was Grace Kleinschmit who sang “Times are Hard For Dreamers.” from the Broadway play “Amélie.”

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