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HANCOCK -- Cages full of clucking chickens and clean pigs can only mean one thing to Copper Country residents...it's time for the Houghton County Fair.

"The fair is the animals.  A lot of people much prefer the monster trucks and the things that make noise, but I think the animals are the way it started," said Fair President Bonnie DeCaire-Jones.

That tradition continues this weekend as thousands of animals are expected to be shown.

The 58th annual fair kicked off on Thursday with the youth horse show.

"I like everything, but my pony loves gaming and jumping so that's our fun part of showing," said competitor Dorothy Crnkovich.

For many other kids, the shows are a reward after months of preparation.

Tyler Monette and Kirsten Daavettila each spent their summer raising pigs.  Neither is bothered that their pigs will be sold for meat at Saturday’s live auction.

"The first year it was like I was getting rid of my pet, but now it's different because I know what's going on," said Monette.

"It’s not that hard because if I kept my pig, it'd be huge," said Daavettila.

The animal shows and other events will continue rain or shine through Sunday.  In the case of bad weather, organizers say there are plenty of activities going on inside as well as out.