County Fairs Coming Up

WAITSBURG - As school children are counting down their last days of freedom before the new school year, they're also counting down the days until they're at fair showing off their animals, craft projects and artistic skills.

WALLA WALLA COUNTY FAIR

It's just five days until the Walla Walla County Fair, taking place Aug. 28 through Sept. 2 at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds.

On average, more than 100,000 people will attend the fair each year, said Kelli Shane, the operations specialist for the Walla Walla County Fair and Frontier Days. The gate admissions are usually determined by the weather and how many families travel to Walla Walla over the La- bor Day Weekend, she said. Many people who had grown up in the area and moved away return for the fair.

The number of exhibitors at the fair is pretty astronomi- cal as well, likely because 4-H, FFA and open class participants come from such a large area of Washington and even Oregon. Jennifer Chris- tensen, the exhibitor coordi- nator, said the boundaries for the Walla Walla County Fair stretch from Adams, Ore., to Walla Walla to Columbia County. All residents from Asotin, Garfield, Franklin, Benton, Columbia and Walla Walla County can enter.

The deadline for all ex- hibitors' entries was Aug. 5. Christensen said the date is the same every year no matter when the actual fair falls on the calendar. Before Aug. 5, the exhibitors picked up the entry forms for open class, animals and horses and use the premium books to determine their classification. There is no entry fee for all general exhibitors, FFA and 4-H kids, but there is a $5 for open class entries. That $5 goes to pay for a pen space and the shavings used for the animals, Christensen said.

On Aug. 23, all still life items will be judged, set up and displayed, so these contests can be judged before fair begins. On Aug. 27 and 28, the plants will be dropped off so they don't look wilted for the main event. Finally, the livestock will arrive at the fairgrounds the weekend be- fore and exhibitors will start hanging posters and decorating the pens of their animals.

This year, there are 8,799 entries for all categories at the fair, Christensen said.

For staff members like Christensen, they are all busy running reports, creating judges' books, calculating premium checks, verifying judges and getting the awards ready to hand out.

This week, the volunteers are getting organized and the pens are being set up in the barns to be ready for the live- stock to arrive.

"It is kind of like a blur," Christensen said.

COLUMBIA COUNTY FAIR

The Columbia County

A little girl flies into the arena on a sheep during a mutton busting event at the Columbia County Fair in 2010. Fair will take place Sept. 7 through Sept. 9 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.

Merle Myrick, the vice president of the Columbia County Fair Board, said how much money the fair gets from the state for next year will be based on a point system that will include how many exhibits are at the fair. Because of this, the fair board is working hard to get exhibi- tors involved and get people through the gates.

"The more exhibits you have, the more points you get," Myrick said. "The judge will write down suggestions and you try to get as many points as you can because it looks better for the budget."

There is no cost to apply for exhibition at the fair although some deadlines have already passed.

The horse and livestock entries were originally due on Aug. 13, but the deadline was extended because the premium list book was late to publish. Pavilion booth entries were due on Aug. 11, 4-H clothing and textiles were due Aug. 20 by 4 p.m. and were judged on Tues- day, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m.

All open class, 4-H and FFA still life exhibit applications are due between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4 in the Pavil- ion andYouth Building. Pavilion booths must be completed by 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 5.

All livestock must be stalled, except for cats and dogs, by 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6.

"We have a good lineup this year," Myrick said. "We're try- ing to get the fair back to what it used to be -- a local event for the community."

Myrick said this year the fair will have the Jackpot Rodeo, fea- turing local talent, which Myrick said he believes will help bring the fair back to its roots.

"We're hoping (the rodeo) will stick and be something people enjoy," Myrick said.

At the fair board meet- ing on Monday, Aug. 20, the board discussed where they were in terms of preparation for the fair.

The board took over the county fairgrounds on Aug. 13 and will remain there until the end of the fair, Myrick said.

Paul Carter, the Washing- ton State University extension agent for Columbia County, said between 4,000 and 5,000 people are expected to attend the fair in Columbia County this year.