By Madeline Otten
Correspondent
The smell of cotton candy and funnel cakes filled the air in Fluvanna County on Wednesday (Aug. 14) thanks to the annual Fluvanna County fair hosted at Pleasant Grove Park. The fair will continue until Saturday (Aug. 17) with a small gate fee of $2.
“We try and keep the price down at the gate…but we can’t do it without our sponsorship,” said Channing Snoddy, fair treasurer, in an interview with CBS 19. “They really help keep the fair going.” This year the fair has a total of 14 sponsors.
Fluvanna County residents and guests enjoyed an evening full of rides Wednesday night, but the main events kick off Thursday starting at 4 p.m. Events include home arts, the 4-H rabbit and poultry show and awards, the pep rally, and even a watermelon eating contest.
The fair itself has been growing for the past several years. In previous years it consisted of just carnival rides, and now it is a community event involving the schools, the 4-H Livestock Club, home arts, music and shows. To help generate buzz for the event, the Fluvanna County Fair created a Facebook page to interact with the community and answer questions.
In April the Facebook page called all Fluvanna County youth, ages 2-18, to participate in the cover art contest to showcase this year’s theme: “Let the fun begin.” Winner Samantha Clarke and the other participants will have their art showcased in the home arts area at the fair. Clarke’s winning artwork is also featured on the 2019 fair book, which guests can find at local businesses.
Continuing the fun, Friday night will host the 4-H livestock show and the antique tractor pull. The 4-H Livestock Club has been preparing for this event for months in the hopes of selling their animals at the fair. Members of the club learn about leadership development, community service, and gain hands-on experience with their animals. And let’s not forget the musical guests for the evening, Krossroads, who take the stage at 6:30 p.m.
As for Saturday, the day is filled with entertainment ranging from carnival rides to music to additional scheduled events for all ages. Guests can enjoy a magic-filled morning with magician Wes Iseli, a pie eating contest and DJ Rick. In the afternoon members of the 4-H Livestock Club will get their chance to sell their animals at the sale and auction, which will take place at 1 p.m. As for guests who have mastered the art of throwing in cornhole, be sure to sign up for the tournament that takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Pleasant Grove House. Registration is currently $30, but will go up to $35 the day of the tournament.
Nearing the end of the evening, guests can continue on rides throughout the night, listen to Cheap Whiskey perform, and watch the crowd favorite rodeo that starts at 6 p.m. at the cost of $15 (ages 13+) or $10 (12 and under).
