Tuesday afternoon Kathy Benedict was putting last-minute touches on some of the craft and flower exhibits she's entering at this weekend's Washington County Fair.
"I'll have about 28 pots of house plants and outside plants this year," she said. "We have to wash the pots and make sure the plants are clean and there are no ants."
Benedict said her "flapjack plant" took best of show at last year's fair.
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"It's a succulent plant with pancake-size leaves I grew on my porch," she said. "I also do some silk flower arrangements, wreaths, centerpieces, cornucopias and holiday ornaments."
In addition, for the second year in a row, Benedict will submit a scarecrow she designed for display at the fair's home arts exhibition.
"It's a rabbit farmer scarecrow this year," she said. "Last year I had a scarecrow that was a 'rabbit bridegroom' with a ball and chain around his ankle. And my friend made a 'chicken bride,' complete with a veil and old wedding dress."
Fact Box
If you go
What: Home arts and horticulture displays at the Washington County Fair.
When: All day Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Where:
Homemade crafts, canned fruits and vegetables, photography, pumpkins, scarecrows, scrapbooking in the home arts building behind the fair board office near fairgrounds entrance.
Flower show in the merchants hall on bottom floor of the Marietta Roller Rink building west of the midway.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, other arts and decorated table displays in the Junior Fair Building at the southern end of the fairgrounds.
Home arts exhibits may be registered between 2 and 7 p.m. today and Friday at the home arts building.
Exhibits judging takes place at 7 a.m. Saturday.
Information online at washcountyfair.org
Benedict's friend also created a "cow parson" scarecrow to conduct the wedding ceremony.
The unique free-standing scarecrow category exhibit was a brainchild of the late Susie Amrine, a former fair board director, according to Bonnie Gill, current director in charge of the fair's home arts exhibition.
"And people really get creative with those every year," she said.
The scarecrows will be among a whole host of exhibits on display in the home arts building directly behind the fair board office near the fairgrounds entrance.
Gill said other displays will include homemade quilts, rugs, clothing, various crafts items, photography exhibits, and scrapbook pages.
"Scrapbooking seems to have become a very popular category in recent years," she said.
"Everything in home arts has to be homemade within the last couple of years," Gill added. "No purchased items are accepted."
She noted that last year's exhibits included a homemade banjo.
Also housed in the home arts building are traditional county fair exhibits like canned fruits and vegetables and a variety of baked goods.
The building will be closed for judging at 7 a.m. Saturday. Winners receive ribbons for first, second and third place.
But Gill said there will also be exhibits in other buildings during the fair, including fresh vegetables and art displays in the Junior Fair Building as well as a huge flower show in the Merchants Hall on the bottom floor of the roller rink building.
"We've been told our flower show is one of the largest in the state," said Jeremy Barth, a fair board director who also serves on the home arts committee.
He said another big home arts attraction is the annual kids scarred pumpkin display.
"As their pumpkins grow they take a nail and scratch their name or a face into the pumpkin that creates a scar when it's full grown," Barth explained. "Last year we had one pumpkin that looked like Mickey Mouse."
Gill said anyone with homemade exhibits can register them at the home arts building between 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
"Participation seems to fluctuate but there are a wide variety of unique displays every year," she said.
