Talia Bartley of Middlesex Township decorates the stalls for her horses, White and Cloud, on Friday as participants prepared for the start of the Big Butler Fair.

FRANKLIN TWP — The 162nd Big Butler Fair kicked off Friday with the carnival, bike night and a free concert.

The annual event, located at the fairgrounds off Route 422, runs nine days, wrapping up next Saturday. Daily attractions include food, rides, games, a petting zoo, musical performances, chain saw carving demonstrations and a hypnotist.

For youths involved in 4-H and other agricultural groups, the fair is the first of several local opportunities to compete and show off their animals among their peers.

Most of the livestock was weighed in Friday and the judging will start Saturday.

The Shuler family of Fenelton brought pigs and steer to show.

Chase, 11, and Christopher, 13, both members of the Butler Livestock Club were showing three pigs each.

Caring for the pigs throughout the week includes giving them water and food, changing their bedding and keeping them comfortable and happy, Chase said.

“It's a little hot. The pigs don't really sweat,” he said, adding that they came prepared with fans.

Brothers Owen Black, 9, and Nick Black, 17, of Butler brought rabbits and goats.

Owen, who is in his first year in 4-H, said he was confident in his goat.

“My goat is probably one of the heaviest goats in heavyweight. It is a nice goat, it preforms really well and it walks well,” he said.

The fair is a chance for 4-H'ers to see how their animals stack up against the competition about six weeks before many of them will be auctioned off at the Butler Farm Show, Nick said.

Participating in 4-H for his fourth and final year, Nick said one of his goals is to help teach the younger generation including his brother.

“He helps out a lot, he clipped a whole goat by himself,” he said.The Big Butler Fair is also one of the biggest events of the year for local horseback riders.Talia Bartley, 15, of Middlesex Township said she will be competing in barrel racing with her horse Cloud.The Butler County 4-H also has a six-girl equestrian drill team performing at the fair for the first time in several years.Talia said she has participated in 4-H for four years, including the last two years in the Green Meadows 4-H Club.“When I was younger I would go to rodeos and see the horses,” she said. “I grew up watching it and I wanted to do it.”Makayla May of Saxonburg, a former 4-H'er who now volunteers with the club said the fair is a great chance to interact with other horse owners and also teach children and adults a little about the animals.“I love it. It's so much fun,” she said about the fair. “It's like what we do on a daily basis, but in public.”In addition to the livestock judging and horseback event, the schedule also includes monster trucks, truck and tractor pulls, demolition derbies, more free concerts and a fireworks display on July 4th.