Fair time!

Cows, chickens and pigs, oh my! In just over a week, all three will be found in not only dozens of farms throughout the county, but also at the 38th annual Orange County Fair July 21-24.
The fair, created in 1910 before hitting a slump, was revived in 1973 and has become an annual tradition in the county. Thousands of spectators descend on Montpelier each July enjoying exhibits, entertainment and contests. Each year, the fair boasts a different theme. This year, its "Cowboy Boots and Country Roots."
"Overall, it's the shows and rural atmosphere that make the fair," Orange County Fair Association President Daniel "Willie" Lohr said. "It's a down-home country fair."
Lohr said on average between 5,000 and 7,000 people attend the fair each year. However, because of extreme temperatures, attendance suffered last year.
"It was 107 degrees everyday," he said. "Last year was a very hard year. We're hoping for better weather this year."
Orange County 4-H Extension Agent Kaci Daniel agreed. No organization perhaps puts more effort into the fair than 4-H. Throughout the four day event, the organization will be well represented. On Thursday, 4-H participants will hold a sheep show and compete in beef showmanship. Friday, there will be a goat show, followed by a hog show. The beef show will be held Saturday morning, followed by the dairy show in the afternoon and the livestock dinner and auction in the evening. Sunday, the fair will close out with the Cloverbud bottle babies show, a Lego demonstration and lawn mower races.
"Hopefully this year you'll have so much fun you won't notice how hot it is," Daniel said.
In addition to the shows, 4-H participants will offer daily goat milking demonstrations and Cloverbud parades, with the younger children showing off their animals.
Daniel said participants in 4-H work all year to prepare for the annual fair. She said most children declare their animal projects in October, depending on the type of project. She said 4-Hers then compete in the fair and can choose to either keep or sell their market animals during the auction.
"They raise them and then sell them into the food chain," Daniel said. "It's a great economics lesson."
Daniel said the auction, while supporting 4-H, also offers a great opportunity to purchase quality meat locally.
"There's nothing more local than an animal that was raised here, then shown and sold at the fair," she said.
In addition to the 4-H component, the fair also offers lots of opportunities for entertainment. Lohr said there will be a magic show by Brian Bence, a magic and illusion show by Wes Iseli and a puppet show by Madison Menagerie. Also, both the Hi-Horse Cloggers and Orange Cloggers will perform, in addition to the fifth annual clogging competition Saturday morning. And, new this year, is an acrobatic act-Hansen's Family Circus and Thrill Show.
Lohr said there will also be plenty of music at the fair. Friday evening, Southern Style will perform followed by Michelle Nixon and Drive. Southern Style is comprised by the local Yurasits family and Nixon is the 2006 Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Female Artist of the Year and 1990 and 1991 Virginia Female Vocalist of the Year. Saturday, Virginia native Katelyn Marks will perform. Marks was a 2008 American Idol contestant. Sunday's music will be provided by the gospel group Restoration.
For the photographers, bakers, gardeners and crafters, Lohr said there is still time to enter into the various competitions. Entries are also being accepted for the Miss and Mister Orange County Fair pageant, as well as the Womanless Beauty pageant. For entry information and rules, visit www.orangecountyvafair.com.
There will also be several challenge events and contests throughout the fair, including a bubble blowing contest, water balloon challenge, pets on parade pet show, watermelon eating contest, pizza eating contest, frog jumping contest, children's pedal tractor pull contest and watermelon seed spiting contest. These events require no pre-registration.
The fair will run Thursday and Friday, July 21-22, 1-10 p.m. daily, Saturday, July 23, 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, July 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $6 a day for adults and children ages 13 and up, $3 for children ages 5-12 and children 4 and under are free. A discounted four-day pass is also available at $20 for adults and children ages 13 and up and $10 for children ages 5-12. These can be purchased at the Orange Extension Office or Thursday night at the fair admissions tent.
For more information, visit www.orangecountyvafair.com or call 661-5393.