Exhibitors get animals settled as rain, winds whip fairgrounds
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on September 25, 2008 1:38 PM
Jessica Minchew walked by more than a dozen cages before pointing at her "favorite."
Inside was her gray and white rabbit, Cupcake.
News-Argus/Credit
Jessica Minchew gives her rabbit, Cupcake, a final hug this morning at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. She has nine rabbits entered in the livestock show at the fair but said Cupcake is her favorite. Goats, sheep, cattle, hogs, horses and other livestock were being brought to the fairgrounds late Wednesday and early today to get ready for showing. Gates open today at 4 p.m. with the Junior Meat Goat Show scheduled for 6 p.m., but if the weather does not hold, the midway will remain closed.
"I don't know," she said, when asked why she likes this particular rabbit the most. "I just do."
Jessica was among several gearing up for the first day of the Wayne Regional Agricul-tural Fair this morning at the county fairgrounds.
She and the others were bundled up, welcoming the wind and the cold with a smile.
But not all those on the site were wearing jackets.
Inside the livestock barn, dozens were enjoying a break from the cold.
There were Buckwheat and Mabel, a pair of goats walking around their pen, making more noise than those manning the livestock check-in booth just outside.
And then there were Honey, Blackberry, Peppermint and Grace, horses with just as much to say as those goats across the barn.
But not all the animals were quite so awake.
Some must have been saving energy for the competitions they will compete in over the next week-plus.
Here is the lineup for this year's fair:
* Carnival rides will again be provided by Powers Great American Midway, which will feature 48 rides.
* Two demolition derbies will be held, the first on Sunday, Sept. 28, and the second on the following Saturday.
* Competition will be held in more than 1,200 individual areas, covering 78 separate departments ranging from photography to food preservation.
* Bull-riding will be featured on Monday and Tuesday nights, Sept. 29 and 30.
* The Queen of the Fair contest will be Friday, Sept. 26. The cheerleading contest is set for Wednesday, Oct. 1.
* Special preschool and kindergarten entertainment will be Monday through Friday, Sept. 29 through Oct. 3.
* Admission at the gate is $6 for adults and $3 for students with a school ticket. Gates open at 4 p.m. Thursday.
* Senior Citizens Day, with free admission to anyone age 60 and over, will be held Tuesday, Sept. 30.
* Fireworks will be light up the fair on Fridays and Saturdays.
Fair officials said the "pay-one-price-ride" concept will be in effect again this year, but with a special offer on Saturdays -- the $20 wristband will be good from opening to closing. On weekdays, a separate wristband must be purchased after 5 p.m.
Wristbands can be bought in advance for $15 through Wednesday.
For information, go to www.waynefair.com. The site also offers a schedule of events and a map of the fairgrounds.