By Shawn Stinson
The gates will open later this week in Petersburg for this year’s Tri-County Fair.
The 101st edition of the fair will feature a concert by national recording artist Josh Turner. Reserved tickets are required for admission into the Turner concert, scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 2 and may be purchased online at www.tri-countyfair.com.
Admission into the fairgrounds will be $5 for adults, $2 for children between 6 and 12 years of age and children 6 years of age and younger will be admitted at no charge. There is a special admission charge of $1 into the fairgrounds on Aug. 4. A pass to enter the fairgrounds from Aug. 1 to Aug. 6 is available for $25.
There is no gate admission charge for fair attendees on Saturday or Sunday, but there is a $5 charge for admission into the grandstand on Saturday as well as on Aug. 6. Admission into the grandstands on Sunday will be $10. Fair attendees will be admitted into the grandstand on Aug. 1, 3, 4 and 5 at no charge.
The doors to the main exhibit building will open at 4 p.m. Aug. 1 to Aug. 5. The doors will open at 2 p.m. on Aug. 6, the final day of the fair. The rides will open at 6 p.m. daily on the midway.
Despite being listed as running from Sunday to Aug. 6, the fair will kick off at 8 a.m. Friday with the Junior 4-H/Future Farmers of America Horse Show. Nearly 10 hours later, the day’s events will conclude with the horse games, featuring barrels, 50-yard dash, 4-H poles and goat tying.
Saturday will feature one event, the open horse show. The event is set to begin at 9 a.m. Exhibitors for farm arts, applied art, baked goods, canning, flowers and art/photography will be admitted from 1 to 5 p.m. into the fairgrounds.
Check-in is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday for individuals showing beef, sheep, goat and rabbits. A livestock exhibitors meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. in the livestock arena. Vespers will follow the meeting in the livestock arena. The gospel group The Hoppers will perform at 7 p.m. on the small stage.
There is a full list of activities for Monday, beginning at 8 a.m. with check-in for feeder calves. The breeder cattle show will kick off at 10 a.m. in the livestock arena. The 4-H/FFA feeder calf show is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the livestock arena. The 4-H/FFA beef showmanship event will begin at 3 p.m. in the livestock arena, followed by the pee wee showmanship event. The pig scramble will begin at 7 p.m. in the livestock arena.
The final activity of Monday will be the queen scholarship pageant at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage. Pendleton County resident Hannah Ruddle will be one of 12 contestants for queen. Ruddle is sponsored by Ruddle Farming and Logging LLC. The other contestants vying for the crown are Autumn Crites, sponsored by Mountaineer Veterinarians; Addison Curl, sponsored by Farm Credit of the Virginias; Anna Goldizen, sponsored by Little Mountain Pipeline; Kensey Harper, sponsored by Town and Country CEOS; Paisley Hawk, sponsored by Dorcas Chieftains 4-H Club; Haley Kuykendall, sponsored by R. Thomas, CPA and Associates; Shelby Landis, sponsored by Chillmer’s Soft Serve; Jesslyn McCaslin, sponsored by Dorcas Chieftains 4-H Club; Zanna May Parker, sponsored by Frozen In Time Photography; Noel Rochette, sponsored by Just Wing It Farms; and Alexandria Wyman, sponsored by Sue’s Country Kitchen.
The 4-H/FFA market lamb show will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the livestock arena. The breeder sheep show is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the livestock arena. The mutin’ bustin’ event is set for 6 p.m. in the livestock arena. Another pig scramble is set for 7 p.m. in the livestock arena.
Early morning check-in – 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. – for the market hogs will start the Aug. 3 events. The 4-H/FFA sheep showmanship show is scheduled for 9 a.m. and will be immediately followed by the pee wee showmanship show in the livestock arena. There will also be a 4-H/FFA sheep and goat skill-a-thon at 9 a.m. in the livestock arena. The 4-H/FFA goat showmanship show followed by the pee wee showmanship show is set for 2 p.m. in the livestock arena. The WV Axemen will perform at 8:30 p.m. on the main stage. A pig scramble is set for 9 p.m. in the livestock arena. Winners of the parade awards will be announced at 9 p.m. on the main stage.
The 4-H/FFA market goat show is set for 10 a.m. Aug 4 in the livestock arena. Things will be relatively quiet until 5 p.m. with the start of the 4-H/FFA market steer show. At the same time a pedal power contest will be held on the main stage. A power wheel derby for children 3 to 5 years of age is set 6 p.m. and for children 6 to 10 years of age at 6:30 p.m. on the main stage. The 4-H/FFA market hog show is slated for 7 p.m. in the livestock arena. A performance by comic magician Dewayne Hill is set for 8 p.m. on the small stage.
Events on Aug. 5 will begin at 9 a.m. with the 4-H/FFA swine showmanship show followed by the pee wee showmanship show in the livestock arena. The 4-H/FFA swine skill-a-thon and AG Olympics is set for 2 p.m. in the livestock arena. The mastership showmanship competition will begin at 5 p.m. in the livestock arena. A concert by Joe Crites is set for 7 p.m. on the small stage. The final event of the day is the lamb/goat costume contest at 7:30 p.m. in the livestock arena.
The final day of the fair will kick off at 10 a.m. with the pet show on the main stage. The 4-H/FFA livestock awards will be presented at 11:30 a.m. in the livestock arena. The 4-H/FFA livestock sale will begin at 1 p.m. also in the livestock arena. The final event of the fair will be the demolition derby, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the grandstand. There will be a $5 grandstand charge for the demolition derby.
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Hannah Ruddle
