Jacktown Fair gets off to good start
Shorty Bissett and his great-grandson, Prestyn Geller, drive their tractor into the entrance of the Jacktown Fairgrounds Tuesday during the Jacktown Fair Parade.
Philip Prevost and his grandson, Bryce, drive a horse-drawn wagon into the Jacktown Fairground.
Members of the New Freeport Baseball League had the chance to ride in the Jacktown Fair Parade Tuesday.
Michaela Hildreth, 17, of Nineveh is crowned the 2013 Miss Jacktown Fair Tuesday by Mandi Burns, 18, of Wind Ridge, the 2012 Miss Jacktown Fair.
WIND RIDGE – The 148th edition of the Jacktown Fair got underway Tuesday evening with the annual Jacktown Fair Parade, which went off without a hitch and, just as importantly, without a drop of rain.
People lined the main street of the small hilltop town to take in the floats, antique cars, and fire trucks that formed the parade lineup. Almost 100 units participated in this year’s parade, which started in Wind Ridge and wound its way down to the gates of the Jacktown Fairgrounds.
“I’m just glad it turned out well,” said Marcia Sonneborn, parade chairman. A rain passed through the area about two hours before the parade began and dark clouds still gathered in the distance at its start.
“But that didn’t seem to deter people from attending,” Sonneborn said.
The fairgrounds grew lively as the evening passed and the heat of the day seemed to dissipate. The midway was crowded with people playing games, riding rides or just standing around eating and talking.
Things were going well, said Walter “Buck” Burns, president of the Richhill Agricultural Society, which sponsors the fair. “We have a really good crowd,” he said, also mentioning the absence of rain and what was becoming, as the evening wore on, “very comfortable” temperatures.
Following the parade, a ceremony was held at the upper grandstand to crown the 2013 Miss Jacktown Fair Queen. This year, four contestants competes for the title.
The winner was Michaela Hildreth, 17, daughter of William and Sharon Hildreth of Nineveh.
Hildreth is a member of the Pioneer Barnyard, FFA, National Honor Society, rifle team, engineering club and senior planning committee. She was a senior prom attendant and Mr. West Greene emcee. She works at Hopkins store, is a day camp counselor and enjoys hunting, shooting and fishing.
A special presentation also was made naming director Bud Behm the 2013 Outstanding Fair Ambassador for his many contributions to the fair.
Behm, who has served on the fair board for 47 years, was presented with a citation by Boots Hetherington, special adviser to the governor for agriculture. Citations were also presented to Behm by state Sen. Tim Solobay and state Rep. Pam Snyder.
This year, the first-place float in the parade was a horse-drawn wagon driven by Philip Prevost of New Freeport. Second place went to the New Freedom Grange No. 2108 of Wind Ridge and third place to the Washington County Fair.
The winners of the house decorating contest were JoAnn Hewitt, first place; Mary Jane Kent, second place; and Martha Lee Dinsmore, third place.
The winners of several baking contests also were announced Tuesday.
Marissa Gottschalk of Prosperity won the Pennsylvania Preferred Chocolate Cookie, Brownie or Bar Baking Contest; Heather Huggins of Greensboro won the Pennsylvania Preferred Cake Baking Contest; Mikayla Sonneborn of West Finley won the Angel Food Cake Contest and Nora Rhome of Clarksville won the Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest.
Admission to the fairgrounds is free. Anyone wishing to ride the rides or attend upper grandstand events must purchase a ticket for $8; entrance to events at the lower grandstand is $10.
Tonight is Youth Night, and all children 14 and younger are permitted to ride the carnival rides for free, courtesy of First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County.
A food eating contest will be held at 8 p.m. on the midway stage. At the upper grandstand, also starting at 8 p.m., will be the second round of the Jacktown Fair Idol Contest.
The fair also has brought back the UTV tough side-by-side contest. It will be at 8 p.m. tonight at the lower grandstand. The event features four-wheel drive utility vehicles that run through an obstacle course and compete for the best time.
Stihl pro-carvers and mechanic bull riding are also part of today’s events.