Entries sought for 152nd annual Jacktown Fair Parade
WIND RIDGE — The Jacktown Fair, considered the nation’s oldest continuous fair, will kick off its 152nd year with a parade at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, in Wind Ridge.
The fair will be held July 18-22, but the week will begin with a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 16, followed by the Queen and Princess Competition at 7 p.m. at the fairgrounds.
The fair is sponsored by the Richhill Agricultural Society, originally named the Richhill Agricultural, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Association in its charter formed July 6, 1866. The first Jacksonville Fair (as it was initially named) occurred on Oct. 3 and 4 of that same year.
The board of directors of the Richhill Agricultural Society have not yet selected the Grand Marshal for the parade. The parade will feature Laura Wise, daughter of Mary Ellen and Andy Wise of Graysville, the reigning 2016 Jacktown Fair Queen; the new 2017 Jacktown Fair Princess; and the contestants vying for this year’s Fair Queen. In addition, state and local dignitaries will be invited to participate in this year’s parade.
The parade will have two float contests: the Mini Float Contest where entries will receive prizes of $40, $30, $20 and $10. This is to be a float constructed on a child’s wagon, a wheel barrow, garden cart, small cart, etc. It can be hand pulled or pulled by a lawn size tractor. This contest was started last year and is in addition to the regular Float Contest for which winning entries will receive $100, $75, $50 and $25.
Both float contests will use this year’s fair theme “Country Scenes – Blue Ribbon Dreams.” Float entries will be judged on their attractiveness, design, workmanship, use of the theme, originality and other elements. Anyone desiring to enter a float or entry corresponding to this year’s theme is encouraged to do so.
The Jacktown Fair Board would like to invite all interested bands, businesses, churches, fire companies, groups, organizations and individuals to participate in the parade. If you have an interesting, entertaining, showy or unusual item, your entry will be welcomed. We are also interested in having antique and classic cars, clowns, fire equipment, horses, regional/ local Queens and Princesses, etc. in the parade.
For entry and information about the Jacktown Fair Parade, contact Marcia Sonneborn at 724-428-4344 or email: marciasonne@windstream.net. It is imperative that those wishing to enter the parade contact Sonneborn as soon possible, so the parade’s line can be constructed. Your date of entry will be taken into consideration when forming the parade line.