PRINCESS —
Mother Nature was not kind to the 2012 Boyd County Fair, which ended Saturday. Largely because of several nights of heavy rainfall, including thunderstorms that shut down the midway, attendance was down at this year’s fair compared to previous years.
“We won’t have the final figures in for another couple of weeks. but we definitely had a decline in attendance,” said fair president Yvonne Green. “For that, you can blame the weather and that is one thing we can’t do anything about.”
However, the fair did end on a positive note, Green said. The weather Saturday was “just about perfect,” and a large crowd was on hand for the always popular demolition derby, a horse show that moved from Friday to Saturday because of the weather, the livestock sale and other attractions.
“We had a lot of people out here Saturday, and that was encouraging,” Green said. “It brought a great ending to a somewhat disappointing week. Nevertheless, we got everything in, although we had to delay the horse show for a day.”
Green had praise for the scores of volunteers who spent many hours at the fair not only working the gate and helping park cars, but also spreading sawdust to fill in areas with standing water. Even when it was raining, many continued to work outside to do whatever was needed, she said.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize that this is an all-volunteer fair,” Green said. “People who are working here are doing it on their own time. They are not getting paid to stand in the rain and fill the mudholes. I can’t say enough for our many volunteers. Without them, there would be no fair.”
The fair did have a new carnival this year, and fair organizers hoped that would be a change from previous years when the same carnival was at the Boyd County Fair and then at the Carter County Fair two weeks later. For those who go to fairs for the midway rides, organizers hoped the different carnivals would give them more reason to attend both fairs.
However, without going into details, Green expressed disappointment with this year’s carnival. “I don’t think they will be back next year,” she said.
The livestock shows, the 4-H exhibits, the mud bowl, the demolition derby, and the performances by the ZOOperstars, the Primitive Quartet, the Music City Brass and the other fair attractions were excellent, Green said. She only wishes the wet weather had not kept so many people from going to the fair.
“We had a good fair,” Green said. “We only wish the weather had been better.”
Fair board members will spend the next few weeks wrapping up the 2012 Boyd County Fair and then begin planning for the 2013 fair.
“Planning for the fair is a year-round job,” Green said. “And we are always in need of more volunteers. With more volunteers, we could do more and make the fair even better.”
To be a fair volunteer, call (606) 928-7190.
JOHN CANNON can be reached at jcannon@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2649.
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