Adams County Fair seeking smiles
Adams County Fair seeking smiles
Event kicks off tomorrow
ADAMS COUNTY — The folks behind the annual county fair hope attendees wear a grin this year.
Themed, "Got Smiles?" after the popular milk campaign, the fair has existed for 52 to 53 years, Secretary Charlette Johnson said.
"We want people to be happy, enjoy themselves out here, so we thought, 'We've got the smiles here,'" said Adams County Fair Board President Merritt Johnson, Charlette's husband. "Bring your smiles and enjoy yourself, because this is a family event."
"They said it transposed into Spanish well," Charlette added. "And it's a great theme, it's wonderful to work around."
Exhibits begin arriving today, in anticipation of the event, which kicks off Wednesday and runs through Saturday.
Preparing the Adams County Fairgrounds for the event is a year-round process, Charlette Johnson said.
"Watering, mowing, weed-eating," she listed, "and this week we've been bringing in flowers, painting and general maintenance."
Charlette Johnson estimated there would be a turnout of about 17,500 people, noting the state counts attendance numbers in such a way where every vendor and every exhibitor is multiplied by four, since the fair is a four-day event. The fair will have approximately 45 vendors and 10 food vendors. Last year's fair saw about 3,000 different entries, she estimated.
When Charlette Johnson assumed her title of secretary about 15 years ago, she brought the fair into the computer age, she said.
"They were doing everything by hand and it was all handwritten," she said, adding the fair will have a new computer program, Show Works, this year.
Former Pasco resident Bruce Mullen will perform at the fair, along with magician Steve the Pretty Good and American Junior Idol finalist Katelyn Tarver, amongst others.
In the days leading up to the fair, things get a little hectic, Charlette Johnson said, pointing out that it takes a lot of community, volunteerism and fair board efforts to make the event take place.
"We just don't have enough help," she said. "Everybody has a job, so it's a matter of taking time away from work. Many people make light work, and it lands upon three or four, when there should be 18 out there working. That's the hardest part. And you can't blame them. They're busy too. But there's a lot to do. It just doesn't happen."
Charlette Johnson added the fair brings people together, oftentimes to see someone they haven't seen in more than a year.
Merritt Johnson agreed.
"They can expect a lot of new stuff, some of the old stuff and just a good time," he said. "Neighbor to neighbor type, getting to visit the people you haven't seen for a year, and that's basically what we do."
"A good fair is good attendance," Charlette Johnson said, adding on a hope the weather cooperates. "My husband has been asking for cooler weather, but I think he's going to get cooler weather than he thought he was going to get."
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