Health was the focus at the Boonville-Oneida County Fair Wednesday as the County Health Department along with Excellus Blue Cross and Blue Shield sponsored a health expo. The health expo featured different departments exhibiting their particular expertise. Children lined up to receive free bicycle helmets give out by the Outreach program.

"We’re located in Utica so this gives us a chance to service more rural people," says Jackie St. Thomas of Rome who has been with the health department for 25 years. "It’s a day to come and have fun and if you learn something that’s great."

"I think it helps everybody see what’s out there," says Stephanie Newman of Remsen who is with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) department.

The helmets being handed out by the Health Department won’t be able to protect the fair from a "Night of Fire and Destruction" tonight. The Boonville Fair will again host a monster truck show featuring machines known as "The Gravedigger," "Storm Damagage," and "The Screamin’ Demon." The show will also feature stunt rider Doug Danger peforming perilous feats on his motorcycle. Dave Hyatt, president of the fair association, said that the monster truck show always draws a large crowd, even in inclement weather.

Also in action at the fair was the Draft Horse Show featuring 26 horses and 24 exhibitors. Among them was Butch Minor who guided the first six-hitched-horse draft team that the fair has seen for many years. For the superintendent of the draft horse show, Barb Tarnawa, it was the most impressive part of the show.

Awards given out at the draft horse show include: the Reinsman Award, won by Amber Houlden of Fort Plain, the Supreme Champion Youth award won by Mackenzie Dopps also of Fort Plain, the Supreme Champion Hulsers award won by Patty Eagon of Mohawk, and the Reserve Champion award won by Alyssa Parsons, also of Mohawk. Houlden and Dopps are from Fritz Ann Farms in Fort Plain and Eagon and Parsons are from Parsons farm in Mohawk.