Fair offers traditional rural activities, mixed with new events
Review Photo/C.J. Marshall Leona Hatch of Forksville and Channy Thomas of Forksville enjoy the thrills of the Dragon Wagon Thursday at the Sullivan County Fair.
Review Photo/C.J. Marshall Cheyenne Whalen (left) and Reganne Whalen, both of Warren Center, check out a white New Zealand rabbit Thursday for malocclusion of the teeth as part of the rabbit judging contest during the Sullivan County Fair.
Sullivan County Fair 2010
The Sullivan County Fair continued its more than century-and-a-half tradition on Thursday with old established events mingling with new activities throughout the day.
Thursday was Senior Citizens Day at the fair, with a special admission price of $4 granted to seniors until noon. Seniors could also take advantage of the free Sullivan County Health Fair as part of the activities. In addition, there were also featured events that have been popular in the past, including the Homemade Ice Cream Contest, the Sullivan County Chili Cook-off, and the Apple Pie Contest.
Jody Lambert, secretary of the Sullivan County Fair Association, reported that things have been running well at the fair so far. Thursday's crowd was pretty good, she said, although it was a bit hot for the senior citizens who attended.
"But we're not complaining," Lambert said. "The sun is shining, it's not raining. It's a good thing."
The crowd, Lambert continued, was up a little bit on Wednesday over last year's figures, and she hopes that the trend will continue until the fair concludes on Sunday.
The Sullivan County Fair is in its 159th year, and the people who support it have always been proud of its country-rural background. Many of the buildings on the fairgrounds, she said, are very old and reflect the country tradition of the fair. The flag building, she said, was constructed at the turn of the 20th century, and the concession stand is almost the same age.
"It's very rural and very rustic," Lambert said.
The 4H building, is the newest building on the grounds, having been constructed around the year 2000, she said. However, she said the building was constructed using rural methods of vertical boards, with wide boards alternating with narrow boards, so the structure would fit in with the rest of the buildings on the grounds.
"It's very country-oriented," Lambert said about the fair, but she assured that all the buildings are handicapped accessible.
Many of their events, such as the apple pie contest, and the chili cook-off, are spectator-oriented, she said.
"We have a pony pull and a tractor pull," Lambert said. "On Saturday night we're going to have a demolition derby."
The Sullivan County Fair is also traditional in another way, Lambert said. There are a number of local families who have been members for many generations. She explained that members of her husband's family have been on the board since the 1800s. She and her husband represent the fifth generation of Lamberts who have served on the Sullivan County Fair Association, and their children are the sixth generation, Lambert said. She said other local families also have several generations who have served the Sullivan County Fair.
New events this year, Lambert said, include the "Bunny Barn." The event features a rabbit judging contest and is open exclusively to children. The barn also features a poultry judging contest for chickens and pigeons. The idea, she said, is to encourage children to become interested in livestock on a smaller scale.
"Everyone can have a bunny," Lambert said. "Not everyone can have a cow."
C.J. Marshall can be reached at (570) 265-1630; e-mail: cjmarshall@thedailyreview.com.
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