Officials Happy with Turnout at Barbour Fair
By BEN SIMMONS, Staff WriterArticle Photos
All great adventures must come to an end and the Barbour County Fair was no exception as activities concluded Saturday evening with musical performances by Halfway to Hazard and Ocean City Skyline. The event closed out a full week of family entertainment.
This year's theme was "Where Adventures are Great" and Barbour County Fair President John Loyd said he thinks the theme was fitting because the volume of activities scheduled provided many different adventures for fair-goers. Even though three nights were marred by rain, Loyd said he is still happy with the attendance.
"I was surprised with the number of people who came out in the rain, I'm thankful they did come," Loyd said. "Fortunately on Friday and Saturday the rain was minimal and we had average crowds. With crowds like this, it's an easy fair to run because we don't have the complications with parking and other stuff."
Loyd said more folks are contributing to the fair in various ways each year. Aside from the large number of volunteers, he said more people are entering livestock and competitive exhibits, along with participating in events such as the demolition derby, ATV races, karaoke contest and the Grand Feature Parade.
"I would like to congratulate all the committee members and board members for making the fair a success," Loyd said. "Without them and the extra hours they spend, the fair would not happen. We've already started planning for 2009. We'll have to wait and see what the good lord gives us."
Former Barbour County residents Terry and Missy Wilfong who now live in Charleston said they come to the fair each year to visit with old friends. They said their children, Jonah and Phillip, enjoy the rides.
"We like the entertainment and seeing old friends," Terry Wilfong said. "I think (the fair) has grown pretty well over the years. You can tell by some of the structures and the entertainment areas, along with the horse barn and the development of better parking. It seems like the infrastructure is a lot better than it used to be and that allows for more people to come in."
Children can always find something to enjoy at the fair. Steven Anderson, 14, and Samantha Tenney, 13, both of Belington said they like the fair because of the carnival rides.
"My favorite part of the fair is the rides and being able to socialize with all my friends that I haven't seen in awhile," Anderson said. "There is also a sense of freedom. I can hang out and not be yelled at or told what to do. I can just hang out and have a good time."
"I like seeing all the people," Tenney said. "I can hang out with my friends and ride the rides. My favorite ride is the Casino."
Aside from providing top-notch entertainment, the fair helps the community in a variety of other ways. A discounted admission was given to fairgoers who donated canned food items at the gate Wednesday. The food was collected for the Heart and Hand House of Philippi's food pantry to be distributed to needy families. The fair also serves as a substantial fundraiser for several local groups including the Philip Barbour High School Boosters, 4-H clubs, the Junior Lions Club, the Belington Volunteer Fire Department and various church groups, among others.
Nick Allen of Hospice Care Corp. said the money raised from their bingo tent goes toward uninsured and under insured patients.
"The turnout has been excellent," Allen said. "Most of the nights we beat what we made last year. So, we're very happy with the results. It's a good cause."
The Barbour County Fair takes place each year in August at the Barbour County Fairgrounds located on U.S. Route 250 between Belington and Philippi.
