Wayne County fair earns top awards again
By Staff Reports
Published in News on January 11, 2012 1:46 PM
2011 was another record-breaking year for the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair.
In addition to setting attendance records, the 2011 fair has taken home the top awards at the state Convention of Agricultural Fairs in Durham, winning the Image Award for Best Agricultural Fair in North Carolina in 2011.
For many years, Wayne has won multiple awards for its annual fair, which is sponsored by the county Livestock Association, a non-profit group.
The county also took home the Agricultural Award and the Youth Award. The former was given for the fair's quality and quantity of agricultural exhibits, displays, organizational involvement and general showcasing of agriculture and the region's agricultural heritage.
Wayne took home the Youth Award for the quality and quantity of youth exhibits, youth livestock shows, educational booths, scholarships and other youth contests.
Wayne's 10-day fair is considered a bellwether for other county and regional fairs in North and South Carolina. Since the awards program was instituted in 1977, Wayne has won the Image Award 14 times -- more than any other fair in the state. And the county has won the Youth Award 22 times, another record. It has won the Agricultural Award 11 times.
Fair Manager Milton Ingram credited the success of the 2011 fair to the hard work and dedication of the "many volunteer, employees and exhibitors that help."
Ingram said the 2012 fair, which will be held Sept. 27-Oct. 6 will have some more improvements. The fairground walkways were paved last year to make getting around easier for fairgoers. Ingram said Powers Great American Midways will again provide the carnival rides.
More than 100,00 people attended the 2011 fair, which was blessed with good weather during its entire run.