Step right up: Fair opens its gates at 4 p.m. today
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 28, 2017 5:50 AM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Jordan Therrien, left, and Anne Finch Wednesday evening place ribbons on the winning photographs entered in the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair. Exhibits first entered Wednesday night and will continue to be accepted through this morning.
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Anna Cooke, 8, and her father, Clint, pet one of the 23 rabbits they entered Wednesday night for the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair.
DUDLEY -- Eddie Pitzer likes the forecast greeting the opening weekend of the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair -- cooler after today and more importantly, dry.
Today's high temperature is expected to be near 90 degrees for the fair's 4 p.m. opening.
But temperatures are expected to drop into the upper to mid-70s through Sunday with nighttime lows in the 50s.
"That sounds excellent to me," said Pitzer, the fair manager. "After the experience we had the last couple of years with hurricanes and rain, we are looking forward to having 10 good days.
"You never know what the weather will do, and you can't do anything about the weather. But if the weather is nice and cool and dry, we're going to enjoy every day of it."
Owned and operated by the Wayne County Livestock Development Association, the fair will be held today through Oct. 7 at the fairgrounds on U.S. 117 South.
Cars packed the fairgrounds Wednesday night as volunteers helped exhibitors get their items entered into a wide variety of competitions.
Some livestock was brought in as well.
"We try to have a variety of animals to come in so that people can see what production agriculture is about," Pitzer said. "It is hard now for many people to see what goes on in agriculture."
The animals give people a chance to take in the sounds and smells of agriculture, he said.
Anna Cooke, 8, was helping her dad, Clint, enter 23 rabbits.
"Mama thought that I was allergic to rabbits, but I'm not," she said as she held a back-and-white rabbit named Oreo.
"I like how they are soft, and they kind of scratch you, but it depends on how you hold them."
Anna said her daddy taught her the proper way to hold a rabbit.
"I have about five," she said.
While she was excited about entering the rabbits, Anna said she is also looking forward to coming to the fair.
"I like to play all of the games," Anna said. "I like to ride the Ferris wheel, but I can't go on it because my daddy is afraid of heights. I also like the roller-coaster."
Pitzer said there appears to be an increase in the number of first-time participants.
"Hopefully we will be having a lot of people coming for the first time this year," he said.
The exhibitors will continue to bring in items this morning, and all of the categories will be judged at 1 p.m.
The fair opens at 4 p.m. and the Powers Great American Midway at 5 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. and noon on Saturdays; and 1 p.m. for both on Sunday.
Pitzer said the fair office has received several calls about the closing time -- there is no official closing time.
"We don't ever stay open after midnight," he said. "We always close by midnight, but we always evaluate how many people are on the grounds, how many people are enjoying the rides, the food, the games.
"As long as we have a good crowd out there enjoying themselves, we are open. Once things start dwindling down, then we make a decision whether we close."
On weeknights that might be 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m., he said. But on a Saturday night it might be midnight.
"As long as you are having fun, the gates and doors are open," Pitzer said.
Ticket prices, both for admission and carnival rides, are unchanged from last season.
General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for ages 12 and younger.
Tuesday, Oct. 3, is Senior Citizens Day with free admission for anyone 60 or older.
Carnival ride wristbands are $25 weekdays and $30 for Saturday and Sunday.
Discount wristbands are available online at waynefair.com or at a local Walgreens for $20 for weekdays and $25 for the weekend.
Once a wristband is purchased, the wearer can ride all day long.
All of the entertainment is free.
Today's schedule includes:
5:30 p.m., Vocational Competition - Drafting, white building.
5:30 p.m., Vocational Competition - Math, entertainment arena.
6 and 7:30 p.m., Leon Jacobs Jr. keyboard, singer, West Pavilion.
6 p.m., Open Junior Market Hog Show, livestock shelter.
6:30 and 8 p.m., The Ninja Experience, center stage.
7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Kenya Safari Acrobats, east pavilion.
8:30 p.m., Western Gunfight Show, western town.
5 to 9 p.m., Kid's Club Discover Agriculture Contest.
The fair catalog can viewed online at waynefair.com. For more information, call 919-735-7277.