CANFIELD — Online bidding has begun, after a cautious waiting period, for the Canfield Fairgrounds Rooster Statue Auction.

All proceeds from the auction will go to the Mahoning County Agricultural Society, the nonprofit entity that oversees and manages the Canfield Fair and fairgrounds.

For the 175th Canfield Fair, two years ago, the fair board commissioned local artists to decorate large rooster statues in honor of the rooster mascot. The statues were sponsored by local businesses and are being auctioned to the public.

An auction event had been scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2021, but another COVID-19 outbreak hit at the time, a fair marketing representative explained. “We didn’t feel comfortable having folks gather, so it was decided that we would wait and have the auction coincide with the ribbon cutting for Phase 2 of the Michael Kusalaba Fund of the Youngstown Foundation Event Center.”

The ribbon cutting is set for Aug. 10. The auction will be simulcast in person that evening and online. The online auction is hosted by George Roman Auctioneers. Details can be found at canfieldfair.com.

The rooster sponsors and artists are:

• Dave and Dawn Dickey, artist Alexis Morozov, New Springfield, Under the Feathers;

• “Joe” Dickey Electric, artist Bob Barko Jr., Youngstown, The Big Rooster and a Very Fair Coat;

• Western Reserve Village, artist Emily Dunlap, Canfield, Spring Plumage;

• DataCom Inc., artist Mari Ann Cann, Youngstown, Follow the Fair Map;

• One Hot Cookie, artist Felicia Moss, Ravenna, Grandma’s Cookie Jar;

• Paige and Byrnes Insurance, artist Erin Rivello, Poland, Vincent Van Crow;

• JAC Live – Eric and April Ryan and family, artist Matt Liptak, Alexandria, Va., When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade;

• Forty TWO Event Production, artist Jody Lee Dean Abrigg, Canfield, Something to Grow About;

• Window World Inc., artist Mary Ann Mihaly, Lowellville, Crow for America;

• Canfield High School Class of 1961, artist Kate Antal, Boardman, Big Red;

• Bernard Daniels Lumber, artist Linda Clark, Hubbard, Enjoying our Favorites Every Year;

• Farmers National Bank, artist Susan Dexter, New Castle, Pa., Agri-Cultural;

• Cocca’s Pizza, artist Janice Stevens, Girard, Kandinsky Goes to Mardi Gras;

• Hill Barth and King, artist Stefania Marcinak, Canfield, Glacier Lake Rooster;

• WKBN TV-27, artist Dave Buehrle, Austintown, Something to Grow About;

• Canfield Rotary, artist Mark Shohayda, Cortland, Fair Time – Fun Time;

• The Hendricks Family, artist Eric Sobek, Washingtonville, All Lit Up;

• WFMJ TV-21, artist Diane Less, Salem, Keepin’ It Real;

• The Vindicator, artist Rick Muccio, Warren, Good Morning, Mahoning County;

• Basinger Auctioneers, artist Ray Simon, Youngstown, God Bless America;

• #1 Cochran, artist Patricia O’Brien / O’Brien Studios, I Got Somethin’ to Crow About.

The 177th annual fair is Aug. 30 to Sept. 4. The Canfield Fair is the largest county fair in Ohio.