MARSHALL COUNTY - The Marshall County Fair received a makeover this past year, and those new additions will be on display next week.
Volunteers spent the past week making final preparations for the fair, which begins Sunday and runs through July 28. Officials said a new roof has been placed on the barn, an addition has been built on the show building and upgrades have been made to the horse ring and announcer booth as well as to the horse stables. The additions were made as the fair continues to expand, officials said.
Daily attractions include the 4-H and Future Farmers of America exhibits, as well as bingo, bull races, a petting zoo and several exhibitors. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Monday, as will the junior king and queen contest and the queen's pageant.
Article Photos
Photos by J.W. Johnson Jr.
Displaying items on the Magic School Bus, a science education display inside the Chesapeake Building at the Marshall County Fair, are Amy Reid and Wendy Clutter.
The carnival attractions at the fair open Tuesday and will run each day from 6-11 p.m. The fair's musical entertainment begins Wednesday, with the band Florida-Georgia Line, and is capped with country musician Sammy Kershaw on July 28.
A new attraction this year is the Magic School Bus, which is located inside the Chesapeake Energy Building. According to Wendy Clutter, Cameron Elementary School principal, the bus contains science lessons on the human body, solar system and plants and animals.
Students will be able to tour the bus and learn as part of Cameron's intercession activity and can earn credit by participating.
Additionally, work produced by students participating in Dragon Club activities at the school will be on display outside the bus. Clutter said each student picks an activity - such as art, photography or newspapers - and meets several times throughout the year to create displays. She said the school bus and displays are a good way to bridge the summer gap for students, who are set to return to class Aug. 1 in Cameron.
"A large percentage of students are already participating in the fair through 4-H and FFA, but this aims to get even more involved," she said.
Daily activities are also scheduled in the Chesapeake Building, including a cooking lesson at 11 a.m., a craft hour at 1 p.m and a story hour and activity at 2 p.m. daily. The bus and displays are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, with some additional evening hours when volunteers are available.
The fair is sponsored by The Pepsi Bottling Group, Altmeyer Funeral Home, Chesapeake Energy, Chevron, Noble Energy, Consol Energy and Nationwide Agribusiness.
