Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

All in place for Nevada County Fair

ts time for the 68th Annual Nevada County Fair.

This years fair will be held from Aug. 28 through Sept. 5, with the theme: Wind up Your Summer at the Nevada County Fair.

There have been some changes to the fair this year, mostly in personnel. Sheila Cannon has taken over duties as the pageant coordinator, while Darrell Glass is handing the parade.

The parade will be held Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. All floats and cars participating need to line up between 5-5:45 p.m. at Third and Olive streets. There will be no registration this year.

The parade will follow its traditional route, with the floats judged while the parade is in progress. Winners will be announced at the talent show at 7:30 p.m. at the Potlatch Building.

Those involved in the parade are being asked to try and park on the side streets to avoid traffic problems.

The fair will kick off Sunday, Aug. 29, with a gospel concert at 2 p.m. This will be at the Potlatch Building, with a $1 charge at the door. No gate fees will be charged.

However, gate fees to get into the fairgrounds have been increased to $2 this year. This was done because the insurance premium for the fair went up $1,000 this year.

Rebecca Holley, president of the Fair Association, said there will be no parking by the livestock barns. We have a lot of children working with their animals and having to go back and forth to wash racks, livestock barns and the show ring. The Fair Association is keeping their safety in mind and we hope everyone else does to.

Livestock will be checked in Monday, Aug. 30, starting at 3:30 p.m. The livestock show will be Wednesday at 6 oclock with the premium sale scheduled to start with a dinner for buyers at 5:30 p.m. The sale is set to begin at 6:30.

The midway will open Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 3 p.m. Holley said between 12-14 rides are expected at this years fair. There will also be several games along the midway.

The talent show is being coordinated by Brandi Karlovec. Admission to the show will be $1, and it will be held in the Potlatch Building. Contestants ages 7-20 can compete in singing, dancing, variety and instrumental categories. Winners aged 10-20 will automatically advance to the Arkansas State Fair, which will be held in October in Little Rock. The overall winner, meaning the one with the highest point total at the fair, will represent the county at the Southwest Arkansas District Fair in Hope in September. Winners ages 7-9 will be presented trophies.

Karlovec encourages all contestants to participate in the parade. Practice for the talent show, she said, is Saturday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m., at the Potlatch Building. The rehearsal isnt mandatory, she added, but is a good idea and will help make sure the sound levels are right for the competition.

Additionally, she said, the overall winner will entertain at the Fair Pageant Saturday, Sept. 4.

There are 27 girls entered in eight divisions of the Fair Queen Pageant. Those categories are: Baby Miss, Little Miss; Tiny Miss, Petite Miss, Young Miss, Junior Miss, Teen Miss, and Miss Nevada County Fair Queen.

Cannon said the baby, little, tiny and petite divisions will be held Thursday, Sept. 2, with the pageants beginning at 6 p.m. Competition for the older girls will be held Saturday, Sept. 4, also starting at 6 p.m.

Those in the Baby division are: Kelsey Harris, Katherine Jordan, Elyse Smith, Brook Formby, Daisy Smith, Karissa McGuire, Haley Cox, Tamia Gulley and Hailey Patrick.

The tiny miss group includes: Tori Grant, Carly VanHook and Raegan Dougan.

There are four in the Little Miss class: Breanna Hendrix, Aariona Allen, Haleigh Wiley and Rayleigh Smith.

Lupe Ramos is in the Petite Miss contest.

Brook Adkins is in the Young Miss division.

The Junior Miss category includes: Ashley McBride, Brooke Cornelius, Emily Garrett and Lauran Avery.

Chelsie Ward and Kelsey Wren are in the Teen Miss contest.

The trio in the Queen contest includes: Jessica Honea, Meagan Martin and Miyako Franklin.

Anyone planning on having a commercial or educational booth at the fair needs to get in touch with Diane Wolfe at the Nevada County Extension Service. Booth space must be reserved. Wolfe can be reached at 887-2818.

On Friday, Aug. 27, items may be entered in the school art, crafts and photography contests. School entries will only be accepted on this date.

Educational and commercial booths may be set up Sunday, Aug. 29 from 3-5 p.m.

On Monday, Aug. 30, the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce will host the Fair Queen coffee at the Chamber office between 9:30-11 a.m. Also, items may be entered in all other divisions from 3-6 p.m.

From 7:30-10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, items can be entered, with the judging of the flower show to be done at noon. The fair parade will be held at 6 oclock, with the talent show at 7:30.

Exhibit buildings will open at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1,with the carnival midway opening at this time as well. The livestock show will be at 5:30. Should the parade be rained out Tuesday, the rain date is 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The carnival opens again at 3 oclock Thursday, Sept. 2, with the livestock premium sale set for 6:30. The fair pageant begins for the baby, tiny, little and petite miss categories at 6 oclock.

Friday will see the carnival and midway opening at 3, with the exhibit buildings open at 5. Following the Prescott-Gurdon football game there will be an ice cream and watermelon supper. This is sponsored by the Chamber.

Saturdays big event is the fair queen pageant for young, junior, teen and the queen division. It will start at 6.