First Whitley County Fair in two years brings big turnout

Local residents apparently really wanted to see a Whitley County Fair this year.

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

While official attendance figures aren’t in yet, it looks like over 600 people turned out for the inaugural demolition derby last Thursday night. This was the largest crowd that I can ever recall on a Thursday night for the fair.

The event actually got started about 30 minutes or so late because numerous vehicles were still backed up with spectators trying to get through the entry gates.

I think there were about nine competitors in the demolition derby, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I understand organizers fielded dozens of calls the next day inquiring about whether more demolition derbies were going to be held.

For those that don’t know, demolition derby drivers take clunkers that are barely running usually and ram them into one another in a ring or pit until only one is left running. Think amusement park bumper cars only with actual vehicles, and mud splashing around.

I can personally attest to this fact. When I got home that night my wife commented, “You’re covered in mud” to which I responded “only the front of me”…LOL.

I know that the Williamsburg Police Department has staged mud bogs in the past as fundraisers for Shop with a Cop, and maybe a demolition derby would be a good fundraiser this year. It is just a thought.

Last Friday night brought the return of the horse show, which probably had at least 800 or so people based on early estimates that I have heard.

This event also got started nearly 30 minutes late because there were so many participants in line still registering at 7 p.m., which was supposed to be the start time.

I didn’t stay for the whole thing, but it appeared they were going to have a nice big show.

I don’t know that this was the largest turnout for a Whitley County Fair Horse Show though. I seem to recall in the late 1990’s that the fair’s horse show got so big at one point that they had to split it up over Friday and Saturday nights.

Saturday morning brought out a small crowd for the antique tractor show, cornhole tournament and kids pedal tractor race.

Apparently most of the crowd waited to show up until Saturday night for the mud bog. I know that there were over 900 people, who went through just one of the entry gates.

For those that don’t know, mud bogs involve people on four-wheelers, in side-by-sides, or in four-wheel drive trucks going through mud filled pits to see who can get through in the fastest times. It’s some nice muddy redneck fun.

(In case anyone is wondering, I stand two pits over from the racers for both safety’s sake and to avoid getting partially covered in mud like I did Thursday night.)

It’s great to see people out again for events.

My hat’s off to the organizers of the Whitley County Fair and the Cumberland River Cruise-In, which also took place Saturday. As someone, who has been to a few fair board meetings in the past, I can tell you that countless hours of effort go into planning events like this. These kind of events are done entirely or almost entirely by volunteers too, who aren’t getting paid anything to do it either. They are just trying to do what they can to make their community better.

I think I can speak for many when I give my thanks to everyone, who has worked or is working to stage events like this for your community. Your efforts are appreciated.

Hopefully, the Whitley County Fair Board can build upon this year’s success, improve what they already have in place, and add more things next year making it an even bigger and better.

A good carnival – which is hard to come by from what I understand – would be a nice future addition along with an antique car show and maybe some musical entertainment.