Published: July 04, 2008 02:42 pm         

Fountain County ready for annual fair

VEEDERSBURG, Ind. — Fountain County bills its fair as a family-type activity, and organizers want to keep it that way.

“It is strictly a family affair,” said Kathy Murray, extension educator with the Fountain County Extension Service. “It is so 4-H-oriented.”

The fair opens Friday for an eight-day run at the fairgrounds west of Veedersburg on U.S. Route 136, but some pre-fair activities begin Tuesday.

“We are ready,” Murray said. “We have total projects of more than 1,400. We are really excited.”

Foods is the biggest project with 107 entries. Others with more than 100 entries are swine and crafts. The 4-H enrollment in Fountain County is a little more than 500 this year.

An addition to the 4-H activities at the fair this year will be a dog agility show set for July 17.

“The kids wanted to add this,” Murray said. “They are really excited about it.”

The Friday rocket launch is another popular event.

Sponsors of the day help pay for the nightly entertainment.

The Overtones, a gospel group, are new to the fair this year and will provide the entertainment July 16.

Other entertainment planned are the queen contest on July 12; Highway 341 band, July 13; Wabash Valley Area Band, July 14; Dirt Road Band, July 15; and the Rhythm Drifters on July 17.

A teen dance will be July 17.

Several special dinner specials are planned with the council Jonah Fish Fry on July 12 and grilled pork supper on July 14. The Fountain County Beef Cattleman’s Association will sponsor the beef dinner July 15 and the Extension Homemakers will feature a chicken dinner on July 13 and a ham supper on July 16.

At various times, the Cain Wildcats 4-H Club will serve sweet crown and the Young Farmers will serve pork burgers.

Amanda Smith, who joined the Fountain County Extension Service as an extension educator in May, looks forward to the fair, although it will not be new to her.

“I have been around the (Fountain County) fair for six years,” Smith said. Her husband is a former Fountain County 4-H member. She was involved in 4-H in Warren County.

“Things are going amazingly smooth,” she said. “We are wrapping up last minute details. It has a complete 4-H atmosphere.”

She likes the family atmosphere that the fair brings and the way all kinds work together.

“We are segregated with three school districts, but the county fair is the one thing that brings them together,” she said. “They all work together.”