LOUISVILLE, Ky. — This week’s program takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, for the 119th Kentucky State Fair, where for 10 days, the sights, sounds and smells have all been on display for this signature summer event for our state.

The Kentucky State Fair includes competitions in crafts such as quilt-making, homebrew beers, and home-made pastries, as well as fine arts and agricultural competitions.

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, multimedia journalist Jonathan Gregg explains how the livestock barns at the state fairgrounds are home to hundreds of Kentuckians vying for blue ribbons in many competitions. 

Also, over this year’s fair, dangerous heat settled into much of Kentucky, prompting organizers of the state fair to take extra precautions.

State fair spokesperson Ian Cox says this year, they added cooling shelters and water-fill up stations and visitors could bring in their own refillable bottles.

Animal move-in times were also moved up, allowing exhibitors to deliver their animals before dawn.

“So we work with the Department of Ag, our team on site and working with our exhibitors who are bringing in those livestock to bring them in early and what that does is ensure the safety of the animals, ensures the safety of our customers our fair-goers,” said Cox.

Also during this segment, multimedia journalist Jordan Grantz has a look at fair food and how a scoop of Kentucky is home made on site at the state fair, thanks to Newtons’ Food trucks.

In addition to food, fair-goers could enjoy dozens of exhibits inside the Expo Center, including the “Kentucky Remembers the Vietnam War” exhibit. Former Miss Kentucky & Miss America 2000 Heather French Henry shares highlights about this traveling exhibit during this segment.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.