Jacktown Fair: Greene County蘑菇视频 long-standing tradition of summer fun
Emily Cooke, who was crowned 2019 Jacktown Fair Queen, places the crown on the 2021 queen, Morgan Mooney, at the conclusion of the fair蘑菇视频 opening ceremony last year. Looking on are Marissa Gottschalk, representing the Washington County Fair; MacKenzie Simpson, representing the West Alexander Fair; 2019 Greene County Fair Queen Sarah Calvert and 2021 Jacktown Fair Princess Raena Tharp.
Dr. Roland 鈥淩ollie鈥� R. Daniels waves to the crowd during the 2021 Jacktown Fair parade.
Marching bands and colorful floats will be prominent during the 2022 Jacktown Fair parade.
Phillip Prevost directs his miniature horses pulling a wagon in the Jacktown Fair parade last year through Wind Ridge. The Greene County event kicks off July 16 with a worship service and the anticipated queen and princess competitions. (Photo by Coleen Nelson)
In this 2018 file photo, a horse-drawn wagon carries parade chairwoman and grand marshal Marcia Sonneborn in the Jacktown Fair Parade.
Attendees line the streets of Wind Ridge to watch the floats in the annual Jacktown Fair parade.
For the past 157 years, Greene County residents have enjoyed the annual summertime cluster of livestock competitions, games, musical performances, carnival rides and fair food known as the Jacktown Fair.
Each successive generation has built memories and family traditions around the annual event, billed as the nation蘑菇视频 longest continuously running fair.
This year the fair kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 with the Jacktown Fair Parade in Wind Ridge, with Curt Marshall of Holbrook as grand marshal. A former high school teacher for the West Greene School District, Marshall also worked with the students at the school蘑菇视频 Future Farmers of America.
The parade will include both mini and full-size floats, trucks from area fire companies, antique cars, the West Greene School District Marching Band, groups from the school such as the softball team and state and local dignitaries.
The parade will also feature the reigning 2022 Jacktown Fair Queen, Morgan Mooney, the 18-year-old daughter of Ryan and Greta Mooney of Graysville, who graduated with honors from West Greene High School in 2021. The 2022 Jacktown Fair Princess, who will be crowned July 17, and the contestants vying to be this year蘑菇视频 Fair Queen, will also ride along in the parade.
The parade will also spotlight two float contests: a mini float contest and a full-size float contest. Contest entries in the mini-size category will receive prizes of $40, $30, $20, and $10. Floats can be constructed on a child蘑菇视频 wagon, a wheel barrow, garden cart, small cart, etc. The float can be hand pulled or pulled by a lawn size tractor.
Newly added last year, the mini float contest is an addition to the full-sized contest for which winning entries will receive $100, $75, $50, and $25. Both float contests will use this year蘑菇视频 fair theme, 鈥淲orking Together to Keep the Tradition Alive!鈥�
Float entries will be judged on their attractiveness, design, workmanship, use of the theme, originality and other elements. Anyone wanting to enter a float corresponding to this year蘑菇视频 theme is encouraged to do so by phoning Marcia Sonneborn, parade chair, at 724-428-4344 or text her at 724-747-4631. There is no entry fee for the float competitions.
鈥淚n our annual parade, we usually have close to 100 units participate,鈥� Sonneborn said.
The fair will begin with a worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 17 and Queen and Princess Competition at 7 p.m. that evening at the fairgrounds. This year蘑菇视频 Miss Jacktown Fair candidates are Jordan Karvan and Brooke Berdine. The winner will be announced and crowned on the middle grandstand after the parade.
The Princess candidates are Colby Six, Danika Grim and Danni Stephenson. The winner of the Princess Competition will be announced and crowned the evening of the Queen and Princess Competition at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 17.
A fireworks display will take place at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and the Cincinnati Circus Show is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Admission is free, and ride, circus and grandstand event tickets are available for purchase at the fair. On Wednesday, children 14 and under ride free of charge.
For a complete schedule of events, go to www.jacktownfair.org.
The Fair is sponsored by the Richhill Agricultural Society, originally named The Richhill Agricultural, Mechanical and Manufacturing Association in its charter formed July 6, 1866. The first Jacksonville Fair (as it was initially named) occurred on Oct. 3 and 4 of that same year.
During World War II, a group of women organized a two-day fair to continue its longevity title. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a part-time fair with several contests kept that title alive.
Sonneborn said that the fair has had good attendance over the years, but that number of patrons is dependent on the weather.
鈥淭he reason the fair has been so successful for so long is because a lot of people volunteer their time and energy,鈥� she added. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e proud of the fair, and it provides a lot of wholesome experiences for everyone.鈥�