By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
As of today (Wednesday) we’re 16 days out from the Carter County Fair. That’s just over two weeks to figure out what events you want to take in and what time you have to be at the fairgrounds to do so. Though, to be honest, you might want to just take it all in this year. With tractor pulls, motocross, demolition derby, wrestling, carnival rides, a drive-in movie, a petting zoo, live painting and – of course – the rodeo, there’s plenty to see and too much to take in during a single day.
The fair schedule, which can be accessed online at https://www.cartercountyfair.org/schedule, begins on Friday, August 1, with the pre-fair kick-off concert at KCU’s Nash Chapel, featuring award winning contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Josh Baldwin. Tickets and further information for the concert can be found through a link on the fair schedule page.
Activities at the fairgrounds begin the next day, Saturday, August 2, with an American Tractor Pullers Association sanctioned competition, beginning at 6 p.m. The competition, sponsored by Grayson Tourism, will include farm stock tractors, with classes beginning at 7,500 lb. tractors and going up to 13,000 lb. beasts, and running at speeds from 6 to 17 MPH, depending on weight class. The stock tractor competition is followed by the main event, which features altered farm tractors in various classes, street and work stock diesel trucks, and the no-holds-barred, Run What Ya Brung category, with no weight, engine, or hitch height limits. That’s a whole lot of entertainment for a $15 entry fee! For more information on weight and other classes, visit https://www.cartercountyfair.org/copy-of-exhibits online.
It promises to be a big kick-off for the fair, which along with the other motor sports, the livestock and agricultural exhibits, and the return of the popular rodeo closer the following Saturday, highlights the mix of traditional and contemporary agrarian life that county fairs should celebrate.
The Miss Carter County Fair Pageant takes place the next day, Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. at West Carter High School, and registration is now open through the fair’s web page at https://www.cartercountyfair.org/copy-of-fair-info. Categories include Baby Miss and Mister, Wee Miss and Mister, Tiny Miss and Mister, Mini Miss and Mister, Little Miss and Mister, Pre-Teen Miss, Teen Miss, and Miss Carter County Fair. The Miss and Mister divisions must compete as a boy/girl couple, and includes children up through age 7. The Miss categories are for girls aged 8 through 21. The pageant is open to residents of Carter and surrounding counties. There is an entry fee for pageant participants, and an entry fee of $10 to see the pageant.
Livestock exhibition day is Monday, August 4, sponsored by All Creature’s Veterinary Care, with weigh-in for swine beginning at 8 a.m., followed by goats, lambs, and beef, with shows following. Auction buyers can register beginning at 6 p.m. with the auction to follow at 7 p.m. Admission for the livestock show is $5.
Tuesday, August 5, is Pathways Drive-In Movie Night. Gate time and film are still to be determined, with the movie beginning at dusk. Admission is $10 for two people, or $20 for a carload. A carload includes only as many people as can be legally and safely seated and seat-belted in the vehicle.
Wednesday is Papa John’s Pizza night, and the opening of the carnival, exhibition hall, and petting zoo, which run throughout the rest of the fair. Wednesday also includes the talent show, the Papa John’s Pizza Eating Contest, and Tri-State Motocross in the motor arena.
Thursday is Members Choice Credit Union night, featuring FTC Pro Wrestling, an ice cream eating contest, and more motocross.
Friday is demolition derby night, with the derby kicking off at 8 p.m. But show up before that to check out the carnival, exhibitions, live painting demonstrations from Haley Bays and Chris Casteel, and more pro wrestling and motocross action.
Saturday, August 9, closes the fair with Carter County Tourism Rodeo Night. Exhibit items can be picked up on Saturday, with the carnival opening at 6 p.m., James Family Outfitters’ Best Dressed Cowboy and Cowgirl Contest, and the King Brothers Bulls & Barrels Rodeo at 8 p.m.
The fair board has also worked overtime to make sure there is a greater variety of food offerings at the fair this year, instead of several booths offering the same items. (Lemonade drinkers need not worry, though, as there are still three vendors signed up to provide those refreshments, to help keep lines short.) Though the carnival and vendors won’t be set up early in the week, the board are working to make sure there is some sort of refreshment every night, including the drive-in movie night.
The board reported at their last meeting that they are also working to provide more variety in terms of rides and activities, to help mitigate long lines and wait times for rides and attractions.
They are also working to provide continuing information about rain or other weather events, through social media and other platforms, so that patrons are aware of weather at the fairgrounds in real time.
“It can be raining elsewhere in the county, but not at the fairgrounds,” fair board member Jill York noted during the last meeting. Because of this, she said, it was important that the board use available channels, such as their Facebook page, to provide those weather updates. The board agreed that it was important to relay that information to the community so that people know what conditions are like at the fairgrounds before deciding on their plans for the evening.
You can follow the Fair Board’s social media updates by visiting them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cartercountyfair.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
