Exhibitors bring entries to fairgrounds
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on September 25, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Megan Minchew, 8, helps her mini pony, Diamond, get settled into a stall at the Wayne County fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon. The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair begins today, with gates opening at 4 p.m.
kballard@newsargus.com
It started with a mother and daughter -- and the idea to make a quilt with the 50 official state birds embroidered on it.
But after her mother passed away, Peggy Parks was forced to complete it on her own.
The finished product took 20 years to come to fruition.
And Wednesday, Peggy entered it in the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair.
On the other side of building, Michael Ward and Philip Racalbuto arrived early to enter their floral displays in the creative creations competition.
"It's something we just have fun with," said Racalbuto, who has been in the floral industry for 47 years.
Rachel Rawls, a director for the floral competition, helped them check in.
"When you grow it, you show it," she said.
Exhibitors and livestock were admitted Wednesday afternoon and this morning for the first round of fair judging.
The exhibits will be judged today and ribbons will be distributed before gates open at 4 p.m. to the general public.
Professionals and amateurs alike are competing for the coveted ribbons and their exhibits will be on display for the duration of the fair.
Across the fairgrounds, inside the livestock barn, Megan Minchew, 8, corralled her mini-horse, Diamond, into the stall she will call home for the next 10 days.
Megan is no stranger to the fair -- she has been showing Diamond as long as she can remember.
Wayne Benton, a volunteer from the Wayne County Animal Control Department, who helped people settle their animals in the stalls, said roughly 100 animals would be in the livestock barn by the end of the day.
And Sandra Head, exhibitor coordinator said she was excited that the county's main event was, at last, taking center stage.
"When you love the fair, it gets in your blood," she said.