Celebrating domestic arts at the Fayette County Fair
Frances Borsodi Zajac
Participants in the 4-H Fashion Show during the recent Fayette County Fair in Dunbar Township included (from left) back: Rickie Bryner of Vanderbilt; Riley Miller of Upper Middletown; Liberty Bryner of Vanderbilt; Adriana Angelo of Franklin Township; and Molly Rosensteel of Dawson; and front: Mikayla Shea of Smithfield; Rhegynn Geletko of Smithfield; Kristen Libertino of Uniontown; Alivia Andria of Brownsville; Sophia Bendishaw of Uniontown; and Isabel Angelo of Franklin Township.
Riley Miller, 15, of Upper Middletown, on stage, models the gray, cold-shoulder, T-shirt dress she made a the 4-H Fashion Show, held recently in the Youth Building at the Fayette County Fair in Dunbar township. In the background are, left, Rickie Bryner, of Vanderbilt, describing Riley's outfit for the audience while Liberty Bryner, right, of Vanderbilt, waits her turn to take the stage. They were among the 11 youths from three 4-H clubs who participated in the show, modeling their sewing projects.
Rickie Bryner, of Vanderbilt, models a sleeveless, blue, knit dress she created during the 4-H Fashion Show at the Fayette County Fair in Dunbar Township. in the background, Riley Miller, of Upper Middletown, describes Rickie's outfit to the audience. They were part of 11 youths from three 4-H clubs who participated in the show that featured their sewing skills.
Sheila Suhan, of Scottdale, center, shows off the trophy and blue ribbon she won in the Fayette County Fair's chocolate cake contest. Suhan also won first place in the fair's angel food cake contest. Both are among several competitions that feature domestic arts, such as cooking, baking and sewing at the fair, going on through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Dunbar Township. Suhan stands between Teresa Fischer, of Uniontown, left, who is fair princess, and Blake Victor, of Perryopolis, fair queen, who passed out competition ribbons.
Frances Borsodi Zajac
Judge Darin Myers, of Myers Catering in Fairchance, looks over entries in the chocolate cake contest at the Fayette County Fair, going on through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Dunbar Township. The competition is one of several at the fair that feature domestic arts, such as cooking, baking and sewing. See today’s schedule of events on C1.
DUNBAR TWP. — Winning a blue ribbon for a cake, pie, canned goods or well-sewn outfit is an honor at the Fayette County Fair, which showcases all these domestic arts and crafts.
“People don’t realize this is what the fair is all about — the animals and the crafts,” said Wendy Friend of McClellandtown, chairwoman of special baking and cooking contests, who also cares for the Home Economics Building with her daughter Heidi Garree of Smithfield.
The fair, which continues through Saturday at the fairgrounds along Route 119, hosts a series of special baking contests the first weekend as well as a chili cook-off on the last day.
There’s also regular competition for baked and canned goods, needlecraft and handicrafts for adults and youths in the Home Economics Building. The 4-H program includes some categories in judging in the Youth Building.
Participation in several contests was up this year, including the angel food contest with 11 entries, apple pie, 10, and chocolate cake, 14.
Sheila Suhan of Scottdale took first place in both the chocolate and angel food contests.
“I was excited because I didn’t think I would win,” said Suhan, who enters a lot of contests on line but not many locally. Last year, she entered the fair and didn’t win.
Suhan’s wins this year came for a three-layered, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and gob filling. She used her home-grown raspberries for the angel food cake, injecting raspberry filling into the cake and incorporating raspberries into the frosting.
Her secret?
“I freeze the cake before I ice it and that makes it extra moist and easier to ice,” Suhan said.
Ashley Minerd, 15, of Lemont Furnace, a sophomore at Laurel Highlands High School, took first place in the junior baking cookie contest with her peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies. She’s a repeat winner, claiming first prize for the second year with the same recipe.
“I bake whenever I have time. It’s fun. There’s a lot of possibilities with it,” said Minerd, a daughter of Christine and Mark Minerd, who likes to create recipes with her mother.
Other results included: Angel food cake: Bonnie Swartz, Mount Pleasant, second; Bob Miller, Jeannette, third; Cindy Moag, Dunbar, fourth; and Angela Stump, Fairchance, fifth. Apple pie: Wanda Sherry, Farmington, second; Carrie Hawk, East Millsboro, third; Christine Minerd, Lemont Furnace, fourth; and Laura Wilson, Belle Vernon, fifth. Chocolate cake: Amy Kerestes, Belle Vernon, second; Crystal Neil, Jefferson, third; Jessica Zele, Uniontown, fourth; and Debbie McGee, Dunbar, fifth. Junior baking: Camryn Hawk, East Millsboro, second; Carlie Hawk, East Millsboro, third; Elora Glad, Uniontown, fourth; Teresa Fischer, Uniontown, fifth.
Home Economics: Ball Awards — soft spreads, Stephanie Stark, Perryopolis, first place, and Roberta Smith, Leisenring, second place; pickling: Chrissy Suriano, Mount Pleasant, first, and Kelly Falls, Morgantown, second; vegetables: Kathy Pyle, Rockwood, first, and Carlie Hawk, East Millsboro, second; fruits: Betsy Haas, Vanderbilt, first, and Chrissy Suriano, Mount Pleasant, second. Handicrafts: Kayla Hall, Dawson, first, and Nancy Dodson, Fairbank, second; Needlecraft: Pamela Johnson, Greensburg, first; Linda Percy, Connellsville, second. Other results were still being tabulated.
Sunday’s 4-H Fashion Show also attracted more participants with 11 youths from three clubs. The show allows 4-Hers to show off outfits they make that are judged later in the fair.
Jennifer Deichert of Penn State Extension explained, “Leaders have stepped up, and we received a grant from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Uniontown to purchase sewing machines, so that helps, too.”
Fashion show participants included Come Sew With Me: Riley Miller, 15, Upper Middletown; Libery Bryner, 15, and Rickie Bryner, 16, both of Vanderbilt; and Leda Bryner as leader; Sew Cookers with Me: Ariana Angelo, 12, and Isabel Angelo, 11, both of Franklin Township; Kristen Libertino, 11, Uniontown; Molly Rosensteel, 10, Dawson; Mikayla Shea, 9, and Rhegynn Geletko, 9, both of Smithfield; and Danielle Angelo and Pam Howarth as leaders; Creative Arts with Alivia Andria, 9, Brownsville; and Sophia Bendishow, 11, Uniontown and Tina Bendishaw as leader.
Asked about increased participation, Howarth said, “It seems people are realizing this is a dying art and want to learn.”
Angelo said, “I think (the youths) want to do things for themselves. Maybe it’ll keep growing.”
Leda Bryner commented, “Pattern companies are keeping up with fashion so you can make what you see in the store. And you can have fun, especially in a group.”