Farm families prep fairgrounds for livestock showings this week
Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008
The Washington County Fairgrounds sprang to life Sunday afternoon. People from all over the county were spreading wood shavings, setting up campers, washing pigs and feeding rabbits in anticipation of the 2008 county fair.
The fair opened Saturday, but the carnival midway doesn't open until Tuesday night. Still, farm families were getting ready for a week of excitement.
Marilyn Tate and her son Justin of Elkins spent most of the afternoon in the dairy barn setting up a pen for the dairy heifer their family dropped off later in the day.
She said it was her youngest son's last year to show animals at the fair, but the week-long celebration is definitely a high point in her family's year. The family likes to spend most afternoons in the dairy barn sitting in lawn chairs talking to friends they've met through the fair.
"Some of these folks we only see when we come to the fair," she said. "We never get the good housekeeping award, but we always have a good time."
Justin Tate, 18, said he just likes to spend a week at the fair with his friends and family.
"I've been to the fair ever since I went into the first grade," he said. "I really love to eat the food. "
Ron Davenport of Lincoln was scooping around wood shavings while keeping an eye on his kids who were playing hard and managing to get a little work done. He said his children were the only reason he puts all the work he does into getting ready for the fair. Each of his children have an animal or two entered, ranging from pigs to heifers.
"They enjoy it. It's their project they feed (the animals ) and do all the work," Davenport said. "I just spend all the money."
Davenport's favorite part of the fair ? Saturday, when it's over.
"That's when all the work is done," he said with a laugh.
The fair came a week earlier than originally planned. Fair board President Doris Cassidy said the decision to bump everything up a week hinged on the carnival. She said the carnival the board wanted, one that has served the fair in years past, could not make it the originally planned week, so they moved everything up a week.
David Rahudi of Prairie Grove said the change in dates made it a little bit tougher on families.
"It kind of hurt people who have to buy school supplies and get their kids ready to send back," he said.
Rahudi said that he thinks a lot of people who usually participate in the fair will have to chose between buying school supplies or paying for the gas to haul their animals over to the fairgrounds.
"It gets pretty expensive," he said.
Rahudi stood in the rabbit barn directing his kids on how to feed the various bunnies. He said when his family is at the fair, they're dedicated to the event.
"We're the first ones here and the last ones to leave come Saturday night," he said.
Despite the tiring effort, Rahudi said he wouldn't change anything about the week. He said the event may be a lot of work, but watching his children show off the animals and projects they've put so much work into makes the whole thing worth while.
This year's fair opens Monday and Tuesday at 8 a. m.; Wednesday through Saturday it opens at 10 a.m. Friday night is Midnight Madness on the midway. Gates will stay open until 3 a.m. Midway armbands are $ 30 a piece, and they allow customers access to unlimited carnival rides. Thursday night at 6: 30 p.m. marks the Junior Livestock Auction.
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