Monday afternoon found people from various organizations installing educational booths at the Macon County Fairgrounds. Tuesday people began arriving with their locally grown produce and flowers, jars of preserved foods and kids’ artwork. The stalls in the livestock barn were filled with cows and pigs while chickens and rabbits nestled down in their cages.
All that means it is County Fair week in Macon County. The fair opens with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. on Wednesday and runs through Saturday, Sept. 23. Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
“We invite everyone to come out to the fair,” said fair co-director Dennis Conley. “The weather is going to be wonderful – halfway cool and no rain. It looks like we’re going to have a full house in the buildings and in the field.”
“Every year the Macon County Fair elicits a sense of excitement, wonder, anticipation and fond memories from all age groups,” said Christine Bredenkamp, director of the Macon County Cooperative Extension. “Personally, I enjoy the hustle and bustle as varying community members come together to help clean, set-up and then simply enjoy the experience of our beloved county fair.”
Chartered in 1953, the Macon County Fair is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in the state. The 2023 fair board and volunteers continue the 70-year mission so that “the generations that follow know the meaning of an agricultural fair, as the generations before it.” The theme for this year’s fair is “We’ve got a good thing growing.”
“This year’s theme fits right in with the fair’s long-standing agriculture heritage and gives the youth and adults alike opportunities to showcase their vegetables, flowers and rabbits, chickens, hogs, goats and lambs, dairy and beef heifer and feeder calves, market steers, educational booths and so much more,” Bredenkamp said.
Fair co-director Alvin Doster said they estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people attended last year’s fair, which was about a 40% increase from 2021 and even topped pre-pandemic numbers. He’s expecting another good turnout this year.
Repeat fairgoers may notice some improvements to the fairgrounds. Earlier this year the fairgrounds received $250,000 in state funds, which Sen. Kevin Corbin of Franklin helped secure. Those funds were used to install new roofing, lighting, paneling in the craft room, a new heating and cooling system, and remodeling in the concession stand.
“We invite everybody to come out and see the upgrades we’ve made,” said Conley.
Schedule highlights
The four days of the fair include a variety of shows, demonstrations and exhibits. One new addition to the schedule is a dog agility demonstration at 2 p.m. Thursday. Also new this year is a tractor driving contest at 2 p.m. on Saturday. There will be two divisions in the two-wheel driving event: youth (ages 14-17) and adults. First, second and third place will be awarded in both divisions.
On Friday night the Future Farmers of America alumni and the Fair Association will serve their annual BBQ dinner beginning at 3 p.m.
Last year was the first year for the pie contest and it will return this year along with the always-popular cake contest. Registration for both contests begins at 10 a.m. Saturday with judging from 11 a.m. to noon. The pies and cakes will be auctioned at noon.
The Macon County Cooperative Extension will offer four Safety Days with a different theme and focus each day. (See Page 10A for more information.)
Fair week will conclude with the Macon County Horse Association show at noon on Sunday, Sept. 24.
The Harvest Sale on Monday offers the opportunity to buy the produce, baked goods and antiques donate by fair exhibitors. The sale begins at 7 p.m. with proceeds benefit the Macon County Fair.
A full fair schedule and the Fair Guidebook is available at www.thefranklinpress.com (scroll to the magazine section at the bottom of the page).
All events take place at the Wayne Proffitt Agricultural Center, also known as the Macon County Fairgrounds, located at 1436 Georgia Rd., Franklin.