Fayette County Fair kicks off
Cindy Ekas | Herald-Standard
Malinda Fencil of Scottdale gets heifer Jazzi ready for the fair. Her niece, McKenzi Keefer of Bullskin Township, a 4-H member, will show Jazzi during the fair’s run.
Cindy Ekas | Herald-Standard
Jim Chaney of Sycamore Farm near Uniontown and his niece Leora Myers, 8, and nephew Dax Chaney, 4, cannot wait to show their animals during the Fayette County Fair.
Cindy Ekas | Herald-Standard
Brieannan Haines of Gibbon Glade and her 15-month-old son Carson get ready for a day at the Fayette County Fair. Her triplets, Colton, Cameron and Cooper, 8 years old, will be showing animals during the fair’s run. They are 4-H members from Haines Farming and Meat Processing.
The 67th annual Fayette County Fair kicked off at 8 a.m. Thursday when 4-H members began bringing their animals to the fairgrounds and preparing them for various competitions that will be held over the next 10 days.
Brieannan Haines of Haines Farming & Meat Processing of Gibbon Glade was pushing her 15-year-old son Carson through the animal shelters.
“I have 8-year-old triplets, Colton, Cameron and Cooper, who will be showing their lambs and heifers at the fair,” Haines said. “They are 4-H members, and they are very excited about it.
“We have been coming here for about nine years now,” she added. “We just love the community feeling that we get at the fair. I love coming out here to see everyone I know. It’s a lot of fun.”
Malinda Fencil of Scottdale said she was preparing Jazzi, a heifer from Dunbar, for her niece, McKenzi Keefer, an 8-year-old 4-H member who lives in Bullskin Township.
Jim Chaney of Sycamore Farm located near Uniontown said he has been coming to the Fayette County Fair for the past 40 years.
“I started as a 4-H member when I was about 10 years old,” Chaney said. “Coming to the fair every year is a lot of fun.”
This year, he brought his niece, 8-year-old Leora Myers (a 4-H member) and 4-year-old nephew Dax Chaney with him.
Bill Jackson, fair board president, said the fairgrounds were updated this year with a new lighted sign, new ticket booths and some new entertainment.
“We have made a lot of improvements to the grounds this year,” he said.
Last year, Jackson said the fair reached an all-time record with the 10-day attendance soaring to more than 100,000 people. The fair was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We usually get about 80,000 people to come to the fair every year,” Jackson said. “I think we had a larger crowd last year because people missed the fair in 2020. People also had more money in their pockets last year because of the stimulus checks.
“I think this year is going to be a little tougher with attendance because of inflation. This year’s economy isn’t as good as it was last year,” he added.
The fair runs through Saturday, Aug. 6. The gate admission is $20 per person. The early bird admission is only $17 until 4 p.m.
Paid admission includes Outdoor Arena shows, the carnival and music shows. Seating is limited in the arenas, and admission does not guarantee a seat to any of the shows. Admission is free for children under 3 who do not wish to ride.
Carnival hours are 3 to 11 p.m. July 29 and Aug. 1-5 p.m; and 1 to 11 p.m. July 30 and 31 and Aug. 6.
For more information, visit the web site at www.fayettefair.com.