County Fair Sept. 11-17

This year’s Stone County Fair will be a week later in September than usual. It is set for Sept.11-17 with a typical schedule of pageants, talent shows, exhibits, carnival, livestock show and more.

Rules for all exhibits and contests, as well as deadlines for entries and pre-registration, are outlined in the fair catalog produced by the Stone County Fair Association. It is available at the Stone County Extension Office, many area businesses, and will be accessible online at a new website being developed: www.stonecountyfair.com. The catalog is also inserted in this week’s Stone County Leader.

The deadline to register for pageants and talent shows is Sept. 1. All livestock must be pre-registered by Aug. 28. Entry forms are printed in the catalog.

The first evening of the fair, as usual, will feature the youngest divisions of pageant contestants, with the Prize Baby Boy and Girl Contests for ages 0-18 months, and the Tiny Mr. and Miss Contests for ages 19 months to 2 years. The only event on the first day of the fair, Sept. 11, the pageants begin at 6:30 p.m.

The Little Miss and Mr. pageants for ages 3-5 will be Wednesday, Sept. 13 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Little Miss Petite (ages 6-8) and Little Miss Princess (ages 9-10) Pageants are set for Friday, Sept. 15 beginning at 7 p.m., while Young Miss (ages 11-12), Junior Miss (ages 13-16) and Miss Stone County Fair Queen (ages 17-21) will be crowned Saturday night, Sept. 16 in pageants beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Talent contests are set for Wednesday, Sept. 13, with the Kids Contest for ages 6-9 beginning at 7:30 and the Youth Contest for ages 10-20 following at 8 p.m. Categories of competition are vocal solo, vocal group, instrumental solo, dance solo and variety.

The Horse Show is Tuesday, Sept. 12, with halter classes and under saddle classes. This year’s event will include barrels, poles, flags, keyhole and barrel pickup.

Poultry and Rabbit Showmanship is Wednesday, Sept. 13. The Sheep and Goat Show is Thursday night of fair week, and the Cattle and Swine Show is Friday night.

Rodeos are set for Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m.

The midway is scheduled to open Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m., but the exact time is subject to change.

One new feature at this year’s fair will be the King Arthur Flour Baking Competition. Adults may enter cakes, juniors cupcakes and youth cookies for judging and a chance to win special prizes from King Arthur Flour.

There will be a cookie jar decorating contest again this year, with a silent auction instead of a live auction for the youth jars. Proceeds from the jars will go directly to the participants’ fair premiums. The auction will begin Thursday and close Saturday in the Educational Building. Among the new classes available for exhibits is a Vintage Kitchen Collection in Division 24 Hobbies.

Fair Board members encourage everyone to get a catalog and start planning their fair entries.