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Fayette County Fair aims to unite area

By Frances Borsodi Zajacheraldstandard.Com 5 min read
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Dave Rafferty

The goal of the Fayette County Dog Show, and all competitions at the fair, are the trophies and ribbons. This photo was taken last year.

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In this photo taken in 2010 the 56th annual Fayette County Fair opened with a firemen's parade. Three year old William Schwarz, son of Ron and Amy Schwarz of Vanderbilt waves excitedly to the firemen on parade at the fair.

Like its predecessors, the 57th annual Fayette County Fair will be an event that unites the area.

Jessie Ross, the reigning fair queen, said at the recent fair preview luncheon, “During this time, our community is not Bullskin or Brownsville, it’s just Fayette County.”

It’s a time of camaraderie for adults and excitement for youths.

Sarah Scully, the current fair princess, said, “Ever since I can remember, the fair has been a highlight of the summer.”

This year’s event will run from Thursday, July 28, through Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Fayette County Fairgrounds on Route 119 in Dunbar Township.

People from all over Fayette County as well as visitors from other areas flock to the fair. Last year, attendance was almost 95,000.

They came for musical acts such as The Clarks, family fun such as Pigs Gone Wild and the thrilling demolition derbies, all of which will return this year.

But as fair board President Bill Jackson reminded everyone at the preview luncheon, “First and foremost, we are an agricultural fair and the entertainment is here to draw people.”

The agriculture comes in displays and shows that range from animals to home economics to horticulture and can be found in buildings and arenas around the fairgrounds. It showcases the best of what agriculture means to the region. And the exhibitors are always happy to chat with fairgoers about their projects.

The fair features competition for both adults and youths, including 4-H clubs that teach youths not only about agriculture but about responsibility and leadership.

Walt Bumgarner, director of the Penn State Cooperative Extension, noted the strong bonds between 4-H and the fair while speaking at the preview luncheon.

“It’s amazing the number of kids who continue to have market livestock projects,” he said, referring to the support the 4-H youths receive even in difficult economic times.

In addition to agriculture, highlights of this year’s fair include musical performances by The Clarks in the Chevron Arena on July 29 as well as country-western artist Lee Brice on July 28 and Confederate Railroad on Aug. 6 in the Indoor Arena.

The Fayette Idol competition will take place during the fair with a semifinal round Aug. 3 while the top 10 finalists will compete on Aug. 5. Participants must be a Fayette County resident and at least 13 years old.

Other musical highlights that will appear in the Indoor Arena include The McClymonts, a country-western act that features three sisters from Australia, Aug. 30; Satisfaction, a Tribute to the Rolling Stones, July 31; and The Fabulous Hubcaps, Aug. 1.

The Family Area will continue to feature Pigs Gone Wild racing pigs, the Barn Yard Petting Zoo, R&S Wood Carving and IGX – Interactive Game Experience, which will run all 10 days of the fair. Other acts include BMX Donnelly, which features bicycle stunts, and Dis-Connected K9s, dogs that play with Frisbees. Both acts will appear the first four days of the fair. The last six days will feature Vicenta’s White Tigers and the return of the popular Elephant Encounter.

Barney of Mayberry, an impersonator of Barney Fife from television’s “The Andy Griffith Show,” will stroll the grounds and hand out tickets in the evenings Aug. 1-4, while Jerry Brown, the Monkey Man, will return to stroll the grounds and interact with fair-goers July 28-31.

John Blaney, fair board treasurer, announced the Chevron Arena schedule includes: a tractor pull, July 27; demolition derbies on July 28, Aug. 2 and Aug. 6; a garden tractor pull at 9?a.m. and Truck-A-Rama 4×4 truck pulls (gas, diesel and pro street gas) at 6:30?p.m. July 30; motocross, July 31; semi- and tri-axle truck, posse, semi-truck pulls and pro stock tractors, Aug. 1; monster trucks, Aug. 3; Boys & Bulls Rodeo, Aug. 4; and a horse-pulling contest at 11?a.m. and Mud Mania will return at 7?p.m. Aug. 5.

The Youth Building will include an appearance by the Pennsylvania honey queen on July 30 as well as “Brain Show: Interactive Trivia” that will be held Aug. 4 and 5. In addition, it will host the Pocket Flag Project throughout the 10 days of the fair, hoping to collect messages to attach to 1,000 pocket-sized flags to send to the troops.

The 4-H Benefit Auction will be held July 29 in the Youth Building, while the 4-H Livestock Auction will take place Aug. 5 in the Indoor Arena.

Fireworks are scheduled for 9:30?p.m. Sunday, July 31. Great Powers American Midways Carnival will run all 10 days of the fair.

Pay-one-price admission will remain at $11 this year, while early bird admission will be $9 until 4?p.m. on weekdays. There is no early bird admission on the first day of the fair, which will officially open at 6:30?p.m. First-night events will include the fireman’s parade and fair queen contest.

Advance tickets are $8 and will be sold at various locations from July 5-27. The fair also offers free admission on certain days until 2?p.m. They include anyone bringing a church bulletin for that day on Sunday, July 31; veterans with proper identification on Monday, Aug. 1; anyone donating at least three canned goods on Tuesday, Aug. 2; senior citizens ages 62 and older on Wednesday, Aug. 3; and grange members with proper identification on Thursday, Aug. 4. The free admission does not include the carnival and Chevron Arena shows, but upgrades can be purchased at the fair office.

More information is available online at www.fayettefair.com or by calling 724-628-FAIR.

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