Logan Lesher whirred clippers around the ears of Chester, a cow he was showing at the Schuylkill County Fair.

The 600-pound bovine stood still for the trim, not seeming to mind as the 11-year-old Pitman boy went about his work Tuesday.

“He is from our family farm in Pitman,” explained Logan, a member of the Grass Meadows 4-H Club based in Pitman. “We have around 80 cows.”

Logan was among the county youths who came to the fair with their best cattle, horses, goats — and even rabbits.

“This is my third year showing,” Logan said. “I’m slowly trying to take over my pap’s (Marlin Lesher’s) farm, so I have a couple here I’m showing.”

While judging hadn’t gotten underway Tuesday, Logan brought home the reserve champion lightweight steer award in 2023.

His brother, Lyle Lesher, 13, brought a dairy cow and two pigs to show, and his sister, Alexis Lesher, who was named Schuylkill County Fair princess, showed dairy and beef cows, two pigs and a roaster rabbit.

The rabbit was named a grand champion.

“I like to see all the animals,” admitted Linda Dietrich, who was visiting the fair from Pine Grove. “My granddaughter likes to see the horses.”

A few dozen horses were among the fair attendees, and housed in stables just steps away from the cattle.

Inside, Charlise Wilhelm, 12, of Auburn, brushed her horse, Maggie.

“This is our first year at the fair. This is my first year working with her,” Wilhelm said. “I’m bringing her back into competition and jumping.”

Wilhelm will be taking the horse to district competition and was at the state competition last year — but on a different horse.

“I love jumping,” Wilhelm said.

Fair President Paul Kennedy said the fair is seeing more animals than in recent years.

“Our livestock numbers are impressive,” he said. “Dairy is up 10%, and there are 361 other animals.”

Kennedy rode a golf course around the fairgrounds near Auburn as he fielded calls from vendors and fair participants.

He was hoping for a repeat of Monday, the fair’s first day.

“It was the best Monday in 10 years. We have a great fair. We have great weather,” Kennedy said.

Each year, he said, the fair welcomes about 30,000 to 35,000 visitors.

Many families attended Tuesday for Kids’ Day. Special activities included a Jell-O eating contest and a candy drop from a Rainbow Hose Fire Company ladder truck from Schuylkill Haven.

The apparatus was on hand for Touch-A-Truck, which allowed children — and adults — to check out ambulances, fire trucks, military equipment, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation vehicles and a Pennsylvania State Police cruiser.

“The Touch-A-Truck is bigger” than last year, Kennedy said. “We have construction equipment. We have representatives with the National Guard and they have a really cool display.”

Sweet treats were plentiful, too, with funnel cakes, cotton candy, snow cones, caramel apples and ice cream. Old fashioned root beer, fruit-flavored water and milkshakes were just a few of the beverages on tap.

April Wilson of Tower City, served up fresh-squeezed lemonade and orangeade from a Huey’s stand.

“You use a half a lemon for a small size and a whole one for the large size,” she explained.

Burgers, hot dogs, French fries, barbecue and empanadas were among the offerings many enjoyed for lunch.

As visitors grabbed a bite to eat or stopped at activities, fair royalty made their way through the crowd. In addition to Lesher, Shyanna White was crowned queen and Macie Spickler, 10, was crowned Little Miss. White attends Blue Mountain High School and Spickler is from Pitman.

“I got to meet a lot of very nice girls. They’re all so sweet. And now I have two new sisters,” Lesher said of White and Spickler.

Wednesday is Schuylkill County Day and gates open at 4 p.m. A Celebrity Tractor Pull will be held at 5:30 p.m., and Kyle Schutt will present Invasive Plants at 6 p.m. The Livestock Skill-A-Thon will begin at 6 p.m., and Farm Stock Pulls get underway at 7 p.m. An Elvis tribute featuring Jimmy Holmes with The Spin-Outs will take the stage at 7 and 9 p.m. A boilo contest is at 7:30 p.m.

The fair is in its 41st year and continues through Saturday.

More information is available from www.schuylkillfair.com and the Schuylkill County Fair Association’s Facebook page.