Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994 TAG: 9406230025
SECTION: SALEM FAIR PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SARAH COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With the exception of the food and some of the rides, plus a few of the carnival exhibits, families can enjoy every aspect of the fair without laying out a dime. The main reason for this, said Harveycutter, is that the first year of the show they didn't charge an admission fee because they didn't know how successful the fair would be. And now, it's a little late to start charging.
"As long as we have good corporate sponsors and money from the rides, we're okay," he said. That's one of the reasons the people in charge of the fair are so weather-conscious, Harveycutter said.
From July 1-10, the WSLS-TV 10 Spirit of Virginia exhibits, in the Civic Center Community Room, are open from 4-10 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and noon-10 p.m., Saturday through Monday. The commercial exhibits building and Kroger sampling area, in the Civic Center arena, are open Tuesday through Friday, 4-11 p.m., and Saturday through Monday, noon to 11 p.m.
Harveycutter said the fair has returned to afternoon hours during weekdays, because last year when they tried to open early "it was a bust." Individual tickets for rides are 75 cents, but there are designated days when families can pay one price for all-day tickets.
From the old-fashioned country fair contests that have pies and cakes vying for first place, to exhibits that include household cleaning items and accessories, fudge and air filters, security devices and pet hermit crabs, the Salem Fair has something for everyone. But especially the children.
The only thing it doesn't include is livestock, because, as Harveycutter explained, the weather and facilities are just not conducive to that. But that doesn't mean it lacks for animals. Alligators and racing pigs, a petting zoo and a little bear act are all part of the free entertainment. "We try to get things that families enjoy," said Harveycutter.
Into that category falls three days of fireworks, July 2-4, which are set off in Salem Stadium and according to Harveycutter, can be seen from just about anywhere in Salem, with the best viewing from the fairgrounds. They start after dark - about 9 p.m., he said.
One of the mainstays of the Salem Fair is the Deggellar Attractions, the carnival rides and features that have come every year.
The Deggellar family, said Harveycutter, suits the Salem Fair so well because they, too, have young children. Their rides are inspected by an independent ride inspector who is licensed in Virginia and several other states, according to Harveycutter. This inspector also does work for insurance companies, but perhaps the greatest reassurance for families is the Deggellar's insistence that their own children wouldn't be put on rides unless they were completely safe.
"They are very attuned to kids, and all the rides are kid-tested," said Harveycutter.
The fair draws from all over western Virginia, said Harveycutter. One of the reasons for this - and the estimated 300,000 people who attend - is that it's free, he added.
"People can drive up here, spend the day, and it can still be economical," said Harveycutter. He said in addition to the Roanoke Valley, people drive from Pulaski, Dublin, the Bluefield-Beckley area, up from Lexington, and as far south as Danville.
With 300,000 people walking through the fair during a 10-day period, some children are bound to get separated from adults, but Harveycutter said that they have found every lost child in the last seven years.
In addition to their Lost Children's Area, and the Salem Police patrolling the grounds, they have anywhere from six to 12 Fair employees, all outfitted with radios (the Deggellars have radios as well). They divide the fair into quadrants and "we've always been successful" in locating the missing child, he said.
by CNB