Lets go for a ride: Fair organizers hope balmy weather draws crowds

By Vernon Tarver

Posted: September 1, 2009 at 5:54 a.m.

Brooke McNeely Steele Partridge, of Springdale, helps set up the Wacky Worm ride at the Washington County Fair in Fayetteville. The midway opens today at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

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FAYETTEVILLE — This year's Washington County Fair promises to include all the bells, whistles, exhibits and mouth-watering food so many have come to expect each fall. But when you add in a week full of perfect weather - as is expected for this week's 152nd installment of the Washington County Fair - well then things just can't get much better than that.

"I remember when it was cold [at the fair], because Dennis Home Furnishings brought stoves and he was selling them out there at the youth building," said Doris Cassidy, president of Washington County Fair Association. "And itwas so cold that year we would go up there and gather around the stove.

"We've had other years where it was so hot and dry that we tried to irrigate the midway, but that doesn't work so well. So it's better when the weather is nice, because when it's hot your people feel it and just in general people are more grumpy when it's hot."

With pleasant temperatures expected and the usual treats ready for consumption, there should be little grumpiness around this year's county fair. But making sure there's a good time for all is on the shoulders of Cassidy and her fellow fair association members, not to mention work from many other volunteers.

"It takes all year to do the fair. And as soon as this one is over,we'll get started on next year's," Cassidy said. "It's just been a beehive of activities. You've got to get the supplies delivered; you've got to check the air conditioning; you've got to clean all the bathrooms. There's a long list of things that have to be done to get the fair ready."

Last year's Washington County Fair drew approximately 43,000 to the fairgrounds while raising more than $120,000 at the gate alone. While those numbers were fairly similar to previous years' numbers, Cassidy is hopeful the 2009 fair will see growth in attendance.

"I don't think the times are as tough now as they were, say a year ago," Cassidy said. "But there's still a lot of people who, instead of going on family vacations and traveling, are staying at home. And when they do that, they can use the county fair as their sort of vacation for the family."

For as long as fair association representatives can remember - at least 50 years at last guess - Murphy Brothers Exposition has been in charge of the carnival midway. And Murphy is back again, arriving in town Sunday to set up the usual Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and Tilt-A-Whirl rides, just to name a few.

"This group here has been very efficient," Cassidy said. "They came in Sunday, and they brought the grand carousel. Because that's sort of the centerpiece of the fair for me.

"I remember my very first fair, the first year as president, they came without a Ferris wheel or merry-go-round. And I made a big to-do about it, so Mr. Murphy [of Murphy Brothers Exposition] has been very careful ever since that the grand carousel sits out there right in the middle where I can see it."

With little or no problems setting up this year's fair and with weather at a perfect pitch, Cassidy doesn't think she'll be telling any horror stories after this week. But no matter what happens from here on out, one thing has Cassidy and everyone else at the fairgrounds excited.

The 152nd Washington County Fair is set to begin today, and for all the folks who work hard putting it together that's like music to their ears.

"It's just gotten bigger and bigger," Cassidy said. "I was told when I was first president that it didn't have to be bigger to be better, but I wanted it big and that's what it is."

News, Pages 1, 3 on 09/01/2009

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