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Barlow ready for annual fair

Maddox

Since 1871 the Barlow Fair has stood on its own as a gathering for the community.

“It’s the oldest independent fair in the state,” said Pat Amrine, secretary of the Barlow Fair Board. “We consider it a community get together, a homecoming of sorts.”

This year’s fair, the last in Washington County this season, will begin with setup and weigh-ins on Wednesday followed by rides, exhibits and more Thursday through Sunday.

The fair’s parade marshal this year is James “Jim” Maddox, 84, of Barlow, a charter member of the Scenic Hills Lions Club, former secretary and treasurer of the fair’s board, past treasurer of Warren Local Schools for 17 years, a former secretary and treasurer of the Bartlett Farmers Bank and part of many more local organizations.

“He has spent his life serving the community,” said Maddox’s daughter, Patricia Graham. “We hardly saw him as little kids when they were building the high school because he worked so much on that project… He’s a good man and always worked hard to help people.”

JoAnn Ingram, who was part of the selecting committee of this year’s marshal, said she grew up with Maddox and knew him and his late wife Betty through both church and school.

“We picked him because of his involvement in the community,” she explained. “He served with the Barlow fire and rescue squad for years and the schools and the fair and being marshal is a way for the community to say thank you and honor him.”

Along with the annual parade, which takes place Friday, there are also other staples coming back to the fair this year including rides, entertainment and tractor pulls.

“It’s tradition,” said Jeremy Barth, vice president of the fair board.

“The livestock shows and the laughter… it’s all part of the fair with such a rich history. My favorite part of the fair is seeing the joy and excitement that radiates off the kids that are exhibiting just as much as those there for the rides and games.”

Barth also said this year’s fair book is dedicated to a longtime supporter of the event who passed away this year.

“Jack Miles, he was from the area and even after he moved to Florida he always came home for the fair and helped make sure the rides were safe,” explained Barth. “He was an electrician and would always check that we were set here.”

New to the fair this year are recurring events each day: food eating contests and Dino Roar.

“Cakes, pies and ice cream everyday!” said Amrine with glee as he talked about the new contest. “I’m probably going to sign up for that because I love all of those things.”

Along with recognition for the best pie eater, cake eater and ice cream eater there will also be a junior recognition for the event for those ages 12 and under, he said.

“And it’s part of our pie and cake judging contest that’s new this year,” Amrine explained. “The judging will be based on best fruit pie, best decorated cake, most original pie and most original cake, and there will also be the best junior pie and junior cake too.”

He explained that the contest was added this year as a way to showcase another set of talents in the area and Barth added after the pies and cakes are judged, an auction for the treats will precede the livestock sales Saturday.

Then for those interested in the history of dinosaurs, daily shows will take place at the center of the fairgrounds, the gazebo.

“It’s an educational program for children and there are free shows everyday,” said Amrine. “Also Professor Bubbles will be back again for the kids. Last year he put a cow and a child in a bubble, he’s great fun.”

The fair kicks off Wednesday with weigh-ins and vendor setup and the midway rides will be free Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first full day of the fair.

Season passes this year cost $15 per person and daily admission is as follows:

¯ Ages 13 and up: $5.

¯ Ages 6 to 12: $3.

¯ Under 6 years old: free.

“And the Pampered Pets Petting Zoo will be there everyday in front of our fair board office,” added Barth. “And your gate admission includes everything except for the rides.”

Barlow Fair 2017 Schedule:

Wednesday:

¯ Feeder Calves: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

¯ Vendor set-up: noon to 7 p.m.

¯ Entries for Rabbits: 2 to 8 p.m.

¯ Market Goat weigh-in: 4 to 5 p.m.

¯ Entries for T-Building Lad and Lassies and Produce: 5 to 8 p.m.

¯ Weigh-in for Feeder Calves and Market Ducks: 5to 8 p.m.

* All entries must be in by 8 p.m. for rabbits, feeder calves, poultry and market dairy goats.

Thursday:

¯ Entries for T-Building Lad and Lassies and Produce: 9 a.m. to noon.

¯ 4-H Booth Judging: noon.

¯ Gates open: 4 p.m.

¯ Judging Flowers and Still Exhibits: 4 p.m.

¯ Judging for T-Building: 4 p.m.

¯ Horse Contest Show: 6 p.m.

¯ Tractor Pull: 6 p.m.

¯ Beef and Dairy Show: 6 p.m.

¯ Free rides on the midway: 6 to10 p.m.

¯ Food eating contest in the gazebo: 7 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 7 p.m.

¯ Dino Roar in the gazebo: 8 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 9 p.m.

Friday:

¯ Gates open at 8 a.m.

¯ Junior Fair Poultry/Market Duck in the Poultry Barn: 9 a.m.

¯ Market Dairy Goat Show: 4 p.m.

¯ Parade: 6 p.m.

¯ Tractor Pull: 6 p.m.

¯ Midway open: 6 to 11 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 7 p.m.

¯ Sheep and Goat Show at the Sheep Barn: 8 p.m.

¯ Food eating contest in the gazebo: 8 p.m.

¯ Dino Roar in the gazebo: 8 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 9 p.m.

¯ Appalachian Drift in the gazebo: 9 p.m.

Saturday:

¯ Gates open: 8 a.m.

¯ Feeder Calf Show: 8 a.m.

¯ Feeder Calf Showmanship immediately after show.

¯ Garden Tractor Pull: 9:30 a .m.

¯ Pie and Cake entries must be brought to the fair board office: 9:30-10:30 a.m.

¯ Rabbit Judging: 10 a.m.

¯ OHSR Rodeo: 10 a.m.

¯ Dino Roar in the gazebo: 10:30 a.m.

¯ Food eating contest: 11 a.m.

¯ Little Miss and Mr. Barlow in the gazebo: noon.

¯ Midway open: noon to 5 p.m.

¯ Election of Directors at the fair board office: noon to 4 p.m.

¯ Draft pony pull: 1 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 3 p.m.

¯ Barlow Junior Fair Board Ag Challenge at the horse arena: 3 p.m.

¯ Dino Roar at the gazebo: 4 p.m.

¯ Food eating contest at the gazebo: 5 p.m.

¯ Buyers reception: 5 p.m.

¯ Pie and Cake Auction: 5:30 p.m.

¯ Livestock sales will follow the auction of treats.

¯ OHSR Rodeo: 6 p.m.

¯ Midway open: 6 to 11 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 6 p.m.

¯ John Kunze in the gazebo: 6:30 p.m.

¯ Tractor Pull: 7 p.m.

¯ Jacob Binegar in the gazebo: 8:30 p.m.

¯ Professor Bubbles on the midway: 9 p.m.

Sunday:

¯ Gates open: 8 a.m.

¯ Church service with Lloyd Dennis: 9:30 a.m.

¯ Open Horse Show: 10 a.m.

¯ Speed Pull: 10 a.m.

¯ Food eating contest in the gazebo: 11 a.m.

¯ Midway open: noon to 4 p.m.

¯ Scott Kapple in the gazebo: noon.

¯ Pedal Pull: 1 p.m.

¯ Farm animal beauty pageant at the sheep barn: 1:30 p.m.

¯ Dino Roar at the gazebo: 2 p.m.

Source: Barlow Fair Board.

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