Editorial
Front Page - Friday, September 18, 2009
Hamilton County Fair to usher in autumn with annual festivities
David Laprad
Hamilton County has its ways of letting folks know fall has arrived. The color that blankets Lookout Mountain, for example, changes from summer green to autumn red. Also, the breeze that cuts across Chickamauga Lake is cooler. And during the last weekend of September, more than 50,000 residents make their way to Chester Frost Park for the annual County Fair.
The 2009 County Fair will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., rain or shine. There will be no admission fee, but there will be a shuttle fee.
Tickets for transportation from Northgate Mall and Middle Valley Recreation Center will cost $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 will be able to ride for free. Fairgoers will also be able to ride the Fat Cat Ferry from Harrison Bay State Park to the park for $7. Shuttle and ferry departures will begin 30 minutes before the fair opens each day. There will be no on-site parking.
Now in its 20th year, the County Fair celebrates this community’s heritage through arts, crafts, music, food and blue ribbon competitions. This year’s fair will feature a variety of local bands performing live music and showcase dozens of exhibits, contests and demonstrations, food vendors, craft artists and hands-on activities for children.
Historical exhibits, such as soap making and blacksmithing, will be on hand to educate and entertain fairgoers. Blue ribbon competitions involving livestock, agriculture and home-centered events will attract participants of all ages. And poultry exhibits, wagon, pony and train rides will add to the fun.
“You can expect to see a lot of animals, buy a lot of crafts, eat a lot food that’s not good for you but is very tasty and see jams, jellies, cakes, pies and breads that won blue ribbon awards,” says Gina Hatler, of the county mayor’s office. “And you’ll be able to see what this community does in its spare time, which is dance, make gourds and raise prize–winning cattle.”
Entertainment will include a variety of shows. The Chattanooga Obedience Club will present the Wonder Dog Exhibition, an hour-long show in the horse arena featuring agility, rally, freestyle and fly ball exhibitions. Dozens of antique cars will compete for plaques in an expanded area, and the new Community Stage will showcase dance, gymnastics and cheerleading in addition to other group activities.
“We’ve found that people would rather watch kids perform in front of a crowd than listen to a band you paid $10,000 to sing songs everyone knows,” Hatler says. “They will turn their backs on professional musicians to watch kids warming up to tumble.”
The Hamilton County Fair got its start in 1989 after a group of citizens participating in the Allied Cultural Arts Action Plan worked to bring a traditional county fair back to Hamilton County. While it doesn’t have a midway, fairgoers can experience what life was like in Hamilton County about a century ago and learn more about the traditions that have made Tennessee great.
“And it takes place in one of the most scenic places in Hamilton County, during one of the prettiest times of the year,” says Hatler.
For complete details, visit www.hamiltontn.gov and click on “View County Fair Information” on the left side of your screen.
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