AREA GETS READY FOR EAST PERRY FAIR

The East Perry Community Fair parade typically marks the start of the two-day event, which takes place for its 75th year Friday and Saturday.

A float from the 1970 East Perry Community Fair makes its way down the parade route.

The 75th anniversary of the East Perry Community Fair is shaping up to be one of the best yet, according to a fair official.

Rain hampered last year's event, including the opening parade, but fair committee president Earl Lorenz said residents are looking forward to fair weather and an enjoyable fair.

"Everything seems to be going together really well," he said. "we are anticipating more commercial displays than every before and we expect to have a really good parade.

"Last year, the parade was rained out for the first time in the history of the fair but a lot of people saved their floats for this year and are ready."

Lorenz said the fair committee and other civic groups are making an extra effort to commemorate the 75th anniversary fair with T-shirts and buttons being printed for sale to fairgoers.

The first fair was held Oct. 14, 1919 at the Altenburg Public School. The fair was organized by community leaders with the help of the county's extension agent, recorded for posterity only as Mr. Raut.

One of the members of that founding committee, Charles Grebing, is planning to attend this year's fair and will ride in a special car during the opening parade, set for 1:30 p.m. Friday.

That first fair had a total of 170 judging entries in 18 different classes and its catalog consisted of four pages with no advertisements.

In contrast, the 1994 fair catalog has over 200 pages with approximately 1,400 judging classes open for exhibitors.

Fairs were also held at the public school in 1920 and 1921 but were one-day fairs lasting from mid-morning until 5 p.m.

After a lapse of 16 years, the fair was revived. With the exception of the World War II years, fairs have been held since that time.

The 1937 fair was also organized with the assistance of the county's extension agent, J.A. Fairchild.

The catalog for the fair had 157 judging categories listed in a catalog of 24 pages.

Not only had the catalog grown, but so had the fair itself, spanning two days and held on the picnic grounds of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Much of this area is now owned by the fair committee.

Since 1937, the fair has been known as the East Perry Community Fair, although the organization was incorporated as the Perry County Agricultural and Mechanical Society of Altenburg in 1949.

Over the years, the fair, which has been billed as "The Best Little Fair in the Land," has included such events as band concerts, amateurs contests, athletic contests, softball games for children and the crowning of a queen.

The 1994 edition of the fair will be officially opened Friday with the traditional parade.

The fair's entertainment will include a kiddie pedal tractor pull, an antique tractor pull and musical entertainment on Friday.

Saturday's program will include livestock judging, a horse show, musical entertainment and the very popular mule jumping competition, which has expanded to three classes this year.

The fair will close on Saturday with the awarding of attendance prizes as it has every year since 1951.

For more information, phone 547-2536, Ext. 510, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Schedule of Events

Friday

9 a.m. - Hog Carcass Show

10 a.m. - Judging of Hall Exhibits and Poultry

1:30 p.m. - Parade and Opening Ceremonies

3 p.m. - Kiddie Tractor Pull

3:30 p.m. - Barrow Show

6 p.m. - Music by "Sassy"

6:30 p.m. - Antique Tractor Pull

Saturday

9 a.m. - 4-H and FFA Market Steer Show

9:30 a.m. - 4-H Draft Horse Show

9:30 a.m. - Judging of Livestock

10 a.m. - 4-H Saddle Horse Show

10:30 a.m. - Dairy Show

11 a.m. - Judging of Horses and Mules

12 p.m. - Country Dancing Group

3:30 p.m. 4-H and FFA Steer Sale

4 p.m. - 4-H and FFA Barrow Sale

5:30 p.m. - Jumping Mules Competition

5:30 p.m. - Music by "Decade"

9:30 p.m. - Awarding of Attendance Prizes.