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Fact Box

Saturday

8 a.m. - Gates open.

8 - Feeder calf show.

9 - Dog, mini horse shows.

10 - Draft horse pull.

Noon - Garden tractor pull.

Noon - Little Miss and Mr. Barlow (gazebo).

1 p.m. - Youth horse show.

2 - Matthew First and The Blue Collar Band (gazebo).

5:30 - Feeder calf sale.

6 - Draft horse, mule show.

6:30 to 8:30 - Hard Drive Band (main stage).

8:30 - Mini modified tractor pull.

Sunday

8 a.m. - Gates open.

9 - Open horse show.

10 - Church service (gazebo).

Noon - Tractor pull (13,000 pounds, 11,000 pounds and 9,500 pounds).

Noon - Dulcimer music.

1 p.m. - Kiddie tractor pull.

2 - Cornhole tournament.

2:30 - 4-H contest.

2:30 - Big Al and the Hillbillies.

4 - All exhibits released.

BARLOW - Tom Balachowski and his wife, Earllain, of Barlow are both 66 years old, and have been to every Barlow Fair since they moved into the area in 1972.

"It's always been a really nice, old time country fair," Tom said. "You meet people you haven't seen for a long time, and meet some new people, too."

"We always took our kids to the fair, and they took their kids every year," Earllain added. "And now our great-grandchildren are coming."

The Balachowskis admitted food is one of their favorite things at the fair. Earllain loves the cotton candy while Tom especially enjoys the sausage sandwiches.

The 2009 Barlow Fair continues from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the fairgrounds which are located at the intersection of State Routes 550 and 339 in Barlow, about 14 miles north of Marietta.

For the first time in its 138-year history, this year's fair was expanded to a four-day event that began on Thursday.

"We had very good attendance, in spite of some rain around 10:30 p.m. But we're trying to decompress some of the events by spreading them over an extra day this year, " Joe Campbell, fair board president, said as he waited for the sheep and goat show to begin on Friday.

He said the rain cut Thursday's Speed Tractor Pull short, but that event would be concluded at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Fair board treasurer Sid Brackenridge noted that the Barlow Fair, begun in 1871, is the oldest independent fair in Ohio.

"We probably have an average attendance of around 8,000 people over the weekend each year," he said. "But this is really a family affair. A lot of people come home to visit and attend the fair every year."

Brackenridge said the tractor pulls scheduled each day of the fair are a big draw, but noted some new events, including a horse-jumping exhibition that took place on Friday night.

Crowds lined Warrior Drive and State Route 550 to watch the annual fair parade Friday evening.

Amesville area residents Grant Gilcher and his wife, Laura Schaeffer, along with children Stella Gilcher, 3, and Bo Gilcher, 4 months, were among the parade watchers.

"We're regulars at the fair, and have been attending for 10 years at least," Grant said.

"His parents are exhibiting miniature donkeys at the fair for the first time this year," Schaeffer added. "The donkeys stand 36 inches or less at the shoulder."

Grant said his parents, recently moved from northeastern Ohio, have raised donkeys for more than 40 years.

Dan Stout, 61, of Lowell, recently retired from Eramet Marietta, said he rarely misses the fair.

"I really like it," he said. "And it looks like there are more people attending this year."