Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 5, 1990 TAG: 9007060447
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOBBIE SLOUGH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With racing pigs, a balloon-blowing goat and daredevil frogs, the animal attractions alone certainly should be memorable enough. But civic center director Carey Harveycutter and his staff are quick to point out that there's more to the fair than animal amusements. This fair is big business as well.
Last year, it generated a direct economic impact of $1.3 million and attracted about 211,000 visitors in spite of poor weather conditions. "The weather is the one thing we can't control. That's decided by something more powerful than we are," Harveycutter said.
Though they can't control the weather, Harveycutter and his staff are doing everything they can to minimize its effect on this year's fair, including moving all of the produce, horticulture, arts and crafts exhibits into the coliseum.
"Exhibits are, of course, what makes a fair," said Harveycutter, and there are hundreds of classes to enter in this year's fair, including a greatly expanded livestock competition being run by the Virginia Tech Extension Service. Harveycutter expects over 300 head of livestock, including hogs, steers, heifers, lambs and sheep.
But this year's fair promises some unusual outdoor attractions in addition to the fair traditions. For those who have a brown thumb, or are "all thumbs" where handcrafts are concerned, there will be a number of alternative contests, including Family Fun Contests such as a mother/daughter look-alike competition and a freckles contest. Also, there will be an audience participation game show called "Cash Explosion," which features a money chamber filled with $500 in cash.
Tops on the list of novelty shows are Robinson's Racing Pigs and Croaker College with Professor Bill Steed. Fair-goers from last year will no doubt remember the pigs that race for Oreo cookies, but the Croaker College is something new to the Salem Fair.
Professor Bill Steed's frog "students" are trained to do everything from lifting weights to jumping a tricycle over a row of model cars and into a pool of water. "We think that's going to be one of the most popular events here," says Harveycutter. "It's really going to be a lot of fun."
In addition to the novelty shows, there will be a petting zoo, five beauty pageants, at least two live music acts each night, and, of course, the midway.
Deggeller Attractions, which has been providing the rides and games for the Salem Fair since it started three years ago, will be returning to Salem this year with its "traveling amusement park" and the small community that goes with it.
In addition to the usual rides and games, Deggeller's trailers house the makings of a small but relatively ordinary "town," complete with modern luxuries like satellite television and a cellular phone system. For the children of the Deggeller families, the company is bringing another part of its traveling community that some might not think of as amusing: a fully operational elementary school for the children of company members.
Even though the Salem Fair comes early in the summer, the Deggeller school, which is the only traveling elementary school in the country, will be in session while the company is in Salem.
According to Harveycutter, the Salem Fair is now the fastest-growing fair in Virginia, and is second only to the State Fair in Richmond in attendance numbers. Expanding corporate sponsorship of attractions keeps the fair from charging admission to the midway and exhibit hall, and Harveycutter hopes that expanded shuttle service will alleviate the parking difficulties.
All that's needed is a little cooperation from the weather, and this year's Salem Fair could truly be a fair to remember.
by CNB