Friday Night at the Lawrence County Fair

Fair goers braved the heat and humidity and sometimes the rain to attend this year’s Lawrence County Fair. The fair wrapped up Saturday capping off a busy week for 4H’ers and their parents. Neither the weather, nor the earlier start date did little to dampen the excitement of this years fair.

Second year 4H member Kaylee Grubb has been at the fair last week showing her horse Inky. When I asked her how the weather had been she replied quickly “It’s hot”. She remarked that the heat was the worst part of the whole fair for her.

“The rain earlier in the week postponed one of our show days” said Kaylee.

This year’s fair was scheduled earlier than usual, which left less time for the completion of 4H projects. Kaylee, who only participates in Horse and Pony, stated that the only problem it caused for her was “that we had less time to decorate our stalls.” Kaylee’s horse stall was decorated in a cowgirl theme complete with a horse shaped “barn goddess” sign hanging on the door. Kaylee said they are judged on their stall decorations.

Friday night the crowd at the fair was quite heavy. The lines for the food booths and the carnival rides grew long at times. The rodeo, which was Friday evening’s grandstand event, was well attended with quite a crowd watching despite the heat.

A noticeable change for the fair this year was the beginnings of the Zukunft Park, located over what used to be the old amphitheater. The area has been filled in, covered with dirt and is now sporting freshly grown green grass and a few trees. The nicest part of the new park area was the gravel path that serves as a shortcut between the carnival area and the animal barns.

One of the best things at the fair for families at the fair is free and is located in a tent just off the side of the Expo Hall. The petting zoo features a bout a dozen or so animals, accessible for everyone to see, observe and touch. Baby bunnies, baby pigs, a goat and llama were all on display. The most popular animals there had to be the baby ducks. They were in a special tank with a ramp on top. They would “waddle” up the ramp eat a few bits of food which was in a feeder at the top of the ramp, then they would slide down the slide on the other side of the ramp into the water to the delight of anyone who happened to be watching them.

The petting zoo is definitely one of the favorite parts of the fair for children. Back at the horse barn I asked Kaylee, who was perched on a huge trunk decked out with her name, what her absolutely favorite part of the fair is. She giggled and immediately replied “The food. I like the Bosco sticks from the Junior Leaders stand.”

Whatever your favorite part of the fair is, make a point to come out next year and support these hard working 4H kids like Kaylee, and see what projects they have been working on all year long.

Special to Bedford Online by:  Jennifer Kinser