It’s Greene County Fair time. The festivities began Tuesday and will continue through Monday.
The fairground has a new look with two new barns constructed this spring that will house the beef exhibits. One is a completely enclosed barn for all the lead beef animals, right next to the showring. The other one, located just south of there, is an open-sided building for all the penned animals including pens-of-three and the herdbuilder projects.
The project cost about $300,000, most of which has been raised by the Greene County Fair Association through the annual Ag Supply Auction in the past two years. The cattle barns are the third livestock buildings that have been replaced in the past four years. The hog, as well as the sheep and goat buildings were replaced in 2015 and 2016. The Fair Board has additional plans to improve the fairgrounds as money is raised.
Kicking off the fair on Tuesday was the 4-H non-livestock exhibits judging. The 4-H/FFA dog agility contest was Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, the 4-H/FFA poultry show will start at 1 pm. in the show ring and the 4-H/FFA dog show will be at 5 pm in the former bus barn.
Thursday will begin with the 4-H/FFA swine show in the show ring at 8 am and the rabbit show at 8:30 in the bus barn. Open art hall exhibits will be accepted from 10 am to 7 p.m. At 1 pm the 4-H/FFA horse and pony show will take place in the show ring with the cattle fitting competition following at 2:30. There will be an outdoor movie with the Poppin’ Penelope Show – which features balloons and magic – at the North Hall beginning at 8 pm.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the fair, a special exhibit, Aussie Kingdom, will be open for viewing. This fair show “Brings the Australian Outback to life.” There will be kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies and baby joeys. Fair-goers may get to experience the laugh of the kookaburra, and visit with some lizard friends. This is an educational and interactive, fun activity brought to the fair by professionals with more than 26 years of animal experience.
The Greene County Historical Society is hosting Historical Conversations on Friday and Saturday. (See a related post.)
The Farmer Phil Show will provide entertainment on the grounds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The 4-H/FFA sheep show will be Friday at 8 am, followed by the 4-H/FFA goat show. Both events will be in the show ring. The beef pen of three judging will occur at 9 am. There is an extravaganza for children ages 3-10 from 2 to 3 pm in Clover Hall. At 4 pm there will be a pet show, also in Clover Hall, followed by the 4-H fashion style show at 5:30.
The Queen Contest is slated at 6:30 pm in Clover Hall. Six young ladies are vying for the crown: Emily Bettey, Gina Brown, Emily Finch, Samantha Hardaway, Regan Lamoureux and Kara Reed.
The Grand River Rodeo and fireworks will take place in front of the grandstand at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the 4-H/FFA beef show begins at 8 am in the show ring. The baby contest registration will begin at 9 am in Clover Hall with the contest starting at 9:30. The 4-H horse Fun Show is planned at noon in the show ring. Also at noon is the kids’ pedal pull. The micro mini tractor pull will be at 3 pm, and a watermelon eating contest will be in North Hall at the same time.
At 7 pm the Lucas Oil Tractor & Truck pull will begin at the grandstand.
Sunday will be the day for the livestock judging contest at noon in the show ring. At 3 pm there will be a tug of war contest open to all youth. Sign-ups for both the tug of war and the livestock judging contest begin at 11 and end at noon. From 1 to 7 pm there is a laser tag contest open to everyone. Static exhibits and open class exhibits can check out at 4 pm, and livestock at 5.
To wrap things up on Monday, July 16, there is an appreciation breakfast at 8 am and the Junior Fair Premium Auction at 8:30, both in the air-conditioned Clover Hall.
Food is available on the grounds at the Clover Cafe located in the northwest corner of the bus barn throughout the fair. The VFW Cafe will serve refreshments during grandstand events on Friday and Saturday.
Not to be overlooked are the barbecue meals provided by the Greene County Cattlemen on Friday evening with music by the Town and Country Band and Saturday by the Greene County Pork and Lamb Producers.
For those with a sweet tooth, the fifth annual Roger Nailor Sundaes on Sunday are scheduled in the shelterhouse just north of the beef building from 1 – 3 pm. Funds raised will be used in the community and for scholarships, continuing the good work that Roger believed in. ~The Scranton Journal
