Jul 16, 2016 3 min read

WIND RIDGE – The upcoming Jacktown Fair this week will have a tough task ahead trying to top last year’s 150th edition, but fair President Walter “Buck” Burns hopes to build momentum off of the previous year’s success.

Burns said they want to capitalize on last year’s historic event in Wind Ridge that saw great weather and even better crowds at the longest continuously running fair in the country.

“It was about as good as we’ve ever had. Weather was good and attendance was great,” Burns said. “I don’t think we can top. We’ll try. We’re working on it. We have a great parade.”

The events for the 151st Jacktown Fair begin today with a worship service at 10 a.m. and continue with the fair queen and princess competitions at 7 p.m. The daily fair events begin Tuesday and continue until Saturday.

“Everything is looking like we will have a nice fair,” Burns said.

The popular fair parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. and be led by longtime fair volunteer John S. Scott of Graysville.

Scott has attended every Jacktown Fair since he was a boy, and began helping with the Harvey’s Grange food stand, before later working with the 4-H and FFA clubs, showing off livestock. He’s now an official for the tractor and truck pulls, along with mini-mod tractor pulls.

“He’s helped with the tractor-pulls and has never had any recognition,” Burns said of this year’s parade grand marshal. “We thought it was time to give him that recognition.”

There will be several new events and attractions this year.

Some of those news acts will include performances by the Cincinnati Circus at various times Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

There will also be a BMX bicycle stunt show at the upper grandstand at 6:30 and 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The fair board has also made improvements to the fairgrounds by building a new entrance to the pits for the mud bog and also placing better signage for motorists traveling along Route 21 to know what events will be happening each night.

“We always have two or three small things to finish,” Burns said of the preparation. “We’ve made some improvements and we’ll keep it going.”

For more information and about the upcoming Jacktown Fair and a schedule of events, go to www.jacktownfair.org.