THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508230141
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON A. MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Fair weather may not have been in last weekend's forecast, but it was the Franklin-Southampton County Fair - not Hurricane Felix - that took the town by storm.
The only change was that the queen's pageant was moved to Southampton Academy, said Barbette Porter of the fair's board of directors. And that was a precaution.
Despite some hurriedly called meetings and anxious moments as Felix barreled toward the coast, the decision was made that the fair would go on - to the delight of more than 18,000 people who visited the fairgrounds outside Courtland.
Michelle Lynn Turner, 21, was chosen from among five contestants to be queen of the fair. She will represent the county at a variety of official functions over the next year.
Livestock exhibits proved again to be a big draw. The Clark family of Ivor was happy; lambs raised by Ruth, 11; Jack, 13; and Michael, 18, ended up surrounded by ribbons, including two firsts and a third.
The boys beamed as they talked about it at the lawn tractor pull on Saturday, while sister Ruth was off enjoying the rides.
Porter deemed the hog-calling contest, a new event this year, a rousing success as large numbers of people joined in the fun.
The area in front of the main stage filled with a sea of people for performances by Jerry Clower, Ty England and Archer/Park. Archer/Park even brought members of the audience onstage to sing, play guitar and perform with them, to thunderous approval of the crowd.
A fair or carnival midway evokes warm memories of a kind that only a circus or ballpark could rival. Or it creates new ones. For some, it may be a particular ride, game or prize, or maybe the delicate, cloying scent of cotton candy.
For us, it was the Ferris wheel. Just before leaving, father and mother, who couldn't remember when they last rode one, and daughter, 13, who never had before, bought tickets, boarded and were carefully latched in. In the darkness, the seat swung and swayed as the wheel started and stopped to load its other passengers.
After a few heart-stopping moments, one becomes accustomed to it and comfortable enough to enjoy seeing the lights of the fair, especially from the top - the structure of the wheel disappearing from view, leaving its occupants seemingly suspended in space.
Monday, a hoarse but pleased Porter said, ``I want to thank all the many people who had jobs to do and stuck with it to see it through. I'd also like to thank the commercial exhibitors, arts and crafts people, and the concession operators for coming and being a part of the fair. And, of course, the over 18,000 people who attended, making it a success.''
She said, ``Overall, it was just a wonderful fair.'' She said people already have come forward with suggestions for next year's fair. She asked that they be submitted in writing to her at P.O. Box 640, Courtland, VA 23837. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by DAWSON MILLS
Michelle Lynn Turner, 21, was chosen from among five contestants as
queen of the fair.
Photos by DAWSON MILLS
The lawn-tractor pull was a popular event at the
Franklin-Southampton County Fair.
AT A GLANCE
These fairs are coming up next month:
Isle of Wight County Fair - Sept. 14-17, fairgrounds just before
the county courthouse on Route 258, 11 miles south of Smithfield.
Virginia State Fair - Sept. 21-Oct. 1, state fairgrounds,
Strawberry Hill, Laburnum Avenue, in Henrico County, just outside
Richmond.
by CNB