Wayne Regional Fair brings home the hardware again
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on January 13, 2010 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MITCH LOEBER
Milton Ingram, left, fair manager for the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair, and Curtis Shivar, president of the Wayne County Livestock Development Association, hold the awards the fair recently won at the North Carolina-South Carolina Convention of Agricultural Fairs, including the Image Award, the Youth Award, the Media Award and the Agricultural Award. Overall, the Wayne Regional Fair is one of the most decorated fairs in the Carolinas.
The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair walked away with the lion's share of the awards at the North Carolina-South Carolina Convention of Agricultural Fairs held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in the Research Triangle Park.
Wayne won the Image Award for having the best agricultural fair in North Carolina from among 43 fairs held in 2009. Wayne also took home the Youth Award for the quality and quantity of its youth exhibits, educational booths, youth contests, junior livestock shows, youth activities and scholarships.
The Wayne Fair also won the Agricultural Award for the quality and quantity of its agricultural exhibits, displays, agricultural organization involvement and for generally showcasing the region's agricultural heritage. And the fair won the Media Award for best overall advertising and public relations campaign, based on creativity, originality, attractiveness and effectiveness.
The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair is owned and sponsored by the Wayne County Livestock Development Association, a non-profit organization.
The Wayne Fair has won the Image Award 12 times -- more than any other local fair -- since the state Association of Agricultural Fairs Awards Program was started in 1977. It also has won the Youth Award 20 times, far more than any other fair in the state.
Fair Manager Milton Ingram and association president Curtis Shivar said credit for the fair's success goes to the association and the many volunteers who put hundreds of hours into the 10-day event every year.
Other fairs are owned by various organizations, such as chambers of commerce, Ingram said. The fact that Wayne's is owned by an entity that already is focused on agriculture gives it an edge, he said.
"It just fits into what we do," he said. He added that many people in the Wayne area do not realize how much better the Wayne Fair is than others in the state. If they were to visit other fairs they might appreciate the Wayne event more, he said.
"We have some very dedicated people who do an excellent job," Shivar said, noting the many days of preparation that go into making the fair a success.
Shivar said the fair is a year-round endeavor. Ingram noted that the entertainment for the 2010 fair has already been booked. He said that a number of changes and improvements are planned for the coming year. The 2010 fair will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 9, with Powers Great American Midway again providing the carnival rides.