Ready…Set…Fair!
Although the Tuscarawas County Fair officially opens on Monday, Sept. 19, the work begins long before.
“Really, we start working on next year’s fair as soon as the current year fair has ended,” admitted Senior Fair Board secretary Patty Arth, whose office is always bustling with activity for weeks prior to opening day. Entries for open class livestock, photography, produce, flowers, and household arts were all due in August, but the phone continues to ring off the hook daily with all types of questions, from the cost of fair passes to how to apply to help in setting up the midway rides.
On the other end of the fairgrounds, volunteers from the Market Livestock Committee gathered for a work night to put the finishing touches on fair preparations.
Dave Miller – market livestock committee
“We’re getting ready for the fair,” agreed Dave Miller, as he paused in his work carrying metal pens to confer with Chris Zoller, Tuscarawas County Extension agent. “We’re setting up hog pens, because we take them down every year so that the Senior Fair Board can store things in here. We are making sure that the fans are up and running, and getting the barns ready for everything. We try and come in at least a week before, so if we find things that need to be fixed, we have a few days to do that. After tonight, Wednesday, everything will be all ready for move-ins to start on Saturday. We just want everyone to come out to the fair.”
The number of hogs being exhibited at the fair is constantly growing.
“Right now, we have about 280 hogs coming in total,” said Miller. “There are about 20 adult Market Livestock Committee volunteers out here helping tonight, along with a few other volunteers and our Junior Fair Board committee. People are here helping just because they want to.”
Market Turkeys are going to be a big part of the Junior Fair for 2011.
“This year we have about 25 turkey projects. That’s a new record. When you go from two or three projects to 25, that’s big,” commented Zoller. “Holmes County Fair is loaning us some of their pens to accommodate all of the turkeys.”
Why the popularity of the Market Turkey project this year?
“In the Small Animal Committee, there were some people who really had an interest in it, and they really pushed the project. That’s how we got there. The turkeys will be housed under a tent next to the Junior Fair Dairy barn,” noted Zoller.
An outstanding improvement that was receiving the final touches from Gor-Con Construction of Dover are the new wooden bleachers that spectators will enjoy as they watch Junior Fair livestock shows and other fair activities. The new bleachers are replacing the old aluminum bleachers, which had outlived their usefulness and could no longer be safely repaired. The new bleachers are handicapped accessible, have railings, steps, and also are closed in so that no people or things can slip through.
“We are very fortunate, because we were able to receive a grant from the Reeves Foundation to construct new bleachers in the Main Show Arena,” stated Rod Endsley, of the Market Livestock Committee. “We also had other people donate to the project, and all of that money will be put to good use, too. But the majority of the dollars spent on the bleachers is from the Reeves Foundation. They gave us $25,000. Now they are all finished and ready for the fair.”
Animals started arriving at the fair on Saturday, Sept. 17, when hog projects were brought on site, followed by steers, dairy cattle, goats, llamas, sheep, rabbits, horses, and other assorted creatures, primarily owned by youth in the 4-H program. The fair showcases many months of hard work in preparation.
“Really, we start working on next year’s fair as soon as the current year fair has ended,” admitted Senior Fair Board secretary Patty Arth, whose office is always bustling with activity for weeks prior to opening day. Entries for open class livestock, photography, produce, flowers, and household arts were all due in August, but the phone continues to ring off the hook daily with all types of questions, from the cost of fair passes to how to apply to help in setting up the midway rides.
On the other end of the fairgrounds, volunteers from the Market Livestock Committee gathered for a work night to put the finishing touches on fair preparations.
Dave Miller – market livestock committee
“We’re getting ready for the fair,” agreed Dave Miller, as he paused in his work carrying metal pens to confer with Chris Zoller, Tuscarawas County Extension agent. “We’re setting up hog pens, because we take them down every year so that the Senior Fair Board can store things in here. We are making sure that the fans are up and running, and getting the barns ready for everything. We try and come in at least a week before, so if we find things that need to be fixed, we have a few days to do that. After tonight, Wednesday, everything will be all ready for move-ins to start on Saturday. We just want everyone to come out to the fair.”
The number of hogs being exhibited at the fair is constantly growing.
“Right now, we have about 280 hogs coming in total,” said Miller. “There are about 20 adult Market Livestock Committee volunteers out here helping tonight, along with a few other volunteers and our Junior Fair Board committee. People are here helping just because they want to.”
Market Turkeys are going to be a big part of the Junior Fair for 2011.
“This year we have about 25 turkey projects. That’s a new record. When you go from two or three projects to 25, that’s big,” commented Zoller. “Holmes County Fair is loaning us some of their pens to accommodate all of the turkeys.”
Why the popularity of the Market Turkey project this year?
“In the Small Animal Committee, there were some people who really had an interest in it, and they really pushed the project. That’s how we got there. The turkeys will be housed under a tent next to the Junior Fair Dairy barn,” noted Zoller.
An outstanding improvement that was receiving the final touches from Gor-Con Construction of Dover are the new wooden bleachers that spectators will enjoy as they watch Junior Fair livestock shows and other fair activities. The new bleachers are replacing the old aluminum bleachers, which had outlived their usefulness and could no longer be safely repaired. The new bleachers are handicapped accessible, have railings, steps, and also are closed in so that no people or things can slip through.
“We are very fortunate, because we were able to receive a grant from the Reeves Foundation to construct new bleachers in the Main Show Arena,” stated Rod Endsley, of the Market Livestock Committee. “We also had other people donate to the project, and all of that money will be put to good use, too. But the majority of the dollars spent on the bleachers is from the Reeves Foundation. They gave us $25,000. Now they are all finished and ready for the fair.”
Animals started arriving at the fair on Saturday, Sept. 17, when hog projects were brought on site, followed by steers, dairy cattle, goats, llamas, sheep, rabbits, horses, and other assorted creatures, primarily owned by youth in the 4-H program. The fair showcases many months of hard work in preparation.
Published: September 19, 2011
