News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Van Buren County Fair will open the gates on Saturday with country nights and carnival lights.
Fair President Lesa Bouldin said the fair stuck with fan favorites this year like beauty pageants, the chainsaw challenge and greased pig competition.
“We stuck with the ones that we knew worked, that people would come out and see,” Bouldin said. “The carnival, I feel like the carnival is going to be good for the community, it’s good for the kids. There’s so many kids in our area, in this county that just don’t get to go a lot of places.”
She said the first events at the fairgrounds will be the Fairest of The Fair Pageant at 5:00 PM. Bouldin said the carnival rides start up after 5:00 PM on August 25.
“We have a small fair board and of course with COVID it got us dysfunctional like it did everybody else,” Bouldin said. “We have tried to pull it together once they cleared the way for fairs and we have stuck with our core events this year.”
Bouldin said that when it comes to food, this fair is keeping it local. She said they even take donations from local’s who bring in beans, tomatoes and anything they can from the garden.
“They fair board, along with different organizations within the county, the 4-H, the school, the teachers, the bank employees and elected officials are operating the concession stand,” Bouldin said. “We’re not allowing any outside concessions other than what comes with the carnival because that is our major fundraiser.”
Entry into arena events will cost $2 and events will be spread out until August 28.
August 22 will be church night, including a service
August 23 will have exhibit entries and the tots and toddler pageant
August 24 will have exhibit judging and the baby show
August 25 is the start of carnival rides and gospel singing
August 26 will be the poultry and pet show
August 27 is senior day, the greased pig competition and battery powered car race
August 28 will have kids games, cornhole tournaments and the horse show
