Dawson region maps plans for 24th annual Grange Community Fair
LOWER TYRONE TWP. – Those in the mood to attend a real country fair this summer can visit the 24th annual Dawson Grange Community Fair, scheduled for Aug. 4-9. According to fair committee officers Sharon Ferris and Terry Hall, this year’s six-day celebration of local agriculture, fun and excitement will feature a few new events.
Hall said this year’s theme, “Support Our Troops,” is especially appropriate because Staff Sgt. Robert A. Acklin III of Lower Tyrone Township, who was deployed to Baghdad, has returned to the United States.
“Because of our local connection in Baghdad, the Grange decided to send packages to Baghdad, and with help from the community in donations and monetary funds, we sent over eight packages since March,” said Hall. “Even though Rob is now back in the United States, we are still sending packages to his troop, the 447 ECES BBIAP, and, from a recent letter we received from Rob, the troops are really appreciative.”
Ferris said that although fairs are common across Pennsylvania during the summer months, the Dawson Grange Fair is one of the few that promotes only agriculture.
“Unlike what you see at the big fairs, we try our best to stay away from commercialization,” said Ferris. “Fair-goers will find no carnival rides here. We don’t use a carnival to draw a crowd, because that clashes with the agriculture image we want to present. We want to keep this a community event, instead of an outside event.”
And whatever the committee is doing, it’s working, because Ferris said last year’s fair drew a crowd of 6,000 to 7,000 visitors.
The admission-free fair from opening ceremonies Monday to closing Saturday offers visitors the opportunity to participate in a horse show, queen contest, ATV obstacle course and mud bog, senior queen and king contest, small tractor pull, dead-weight tractor pull, a western-style tractor pull, a truck pull, a pet contest and judging of homegrown fruits, vegetables and flowers.
An apple pie-judging contest will be held Wednesday, a Hershey baked goods contest will be held Thursday and a vegetable quick bread contest will be held Saturday.
Ferris said Pennsylvania youngsters 8 to 18 years old who want to compete in the Hershey’s baking chips, brownie or bars contest will do so under some new rules. In years past, kids were required to use a quarter-cup of Hershey’s cocoa in their recipe, but now they are allowed to use a minimum of a quarter-cup of Hershey’s baking chips instead.
Ferris said children entering a frosted brownie into the contest must use Hershey’s cocoa in the frosting recipe. Recipes must be submitted with the entry (printed on one side of the page).
The first-prize winner is eligible to compete in the 2004 Farm Show competition January in Harrisburg.
The rules for the adult Greatest Cocoa Cake Contest remain the same, with a minimum of one quarter-cup of Hershey’s cocoa used in the recipe.
Musical entertainment will be provided Monday by the Latrobe Gospel Singers, karaoke will be provided by King Wolf on Tuesday, the Povertyneck Hillbillies will provide country music on Wednesday, Irish Town will perform Thursday, karaoke with King Wolf will be presented on Friday and a new local band called Crazy Cowboy will perform Saturday.
Hall said the Povertyneck Hillbillies, who got their start at the Dawson Grange Community Fair about three years ago, and the Crazy Cowboy band have members from Lower Tyrone Township.
Les Philburn, Shawn Baird, Matt Yoders, Robin Allison and Troy Williams make up the Crazy Cowboy band, while Chris Higbee, Ryan Lucotch, Dave Cramer, Bob Crafton, Jeff Volek and Chris Abbondanza make up the Povertyneck Hillbillies.
Philburn and Chris Higbee both are from Lower Tyrone.
One of the new events at the fair is the Wizard, the unlimited ride truck. The vehicle is used for dealerships at racetracks and fairs.
One of the mainstays is the 3.5-mile run/walk, which will be held Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. Joe Turek and Rich Husband are co-race directors. Turek said registration costs $12 by mail and $15 on the day of the race.
All paid entrants receive a T-shirt, and awards will be presented in 14 age categories. Awards for the 3.5-mile run and walk will be presented to the top three male and female finishers overall and to the top three males and females in each age group.
The 3.5-mile run/walk is a WHT certified route through Lower Tyrone Township that begins and finishes at the Dawson Grange. Age groups are from 11 to 70 and over. SERJ Racing Services will provide professional finish line services.
For more information, call Turek at 724-628-0999 or Husband at 724-529-0382.
Dawson Grange secretary Janet Smith and member Emma Jane Davis said the committee is building a 30- by 50-foot pavilion to the fair stage. The women also said that plenty of great food and baked goods will be available at the concession stands.
Ferris and Hall remind visitors that no alcoholic beverages or illegal substances are permitted on fairgrounds. Rules for main events will be available in the fair book or in the office. Parking and admission are free.