Newton County Fair april 24-28 2007

Newton County Fair, April 24-28, 2007.

A tradition and a great time every year that it is held ... the Newton County Fair. It consists of a midway complete with rides and games of all kinds, a tremendous variety of food and snacks, an arts and crafts competition, livestock shows and auction where kids from FFA all over the county, and a variety of music and entertainment. In short, something for everybody that brings several thousand people to the Newton County Fair Grounds for fun, entertainment, and fellowship. The Newton Lions Club mans the two gates collecting a fee of $2 for adults and 1$ for students. Children under 6 years old enter for free. In today's society this is a bargain price for a lot of fun. The money collected is split between the County Fair Committee (for expenses) and the Lions Club. The Lions Club donates the money back to the community through scholarships for graduating seniors.

Some Statistics from the Fair:

Total number Attending fair: 9,437
Total Gate receipts: $9,018.95
Total Receipts for Lions Club: $5,411.37



	Lion Diana and Megan Fomby man the gate on Tuesday night, the first day of the Fair.

	The side gate is manned by Lion Charles Wright, Leo Jim Ed Hughes, and Mr. Menard, spouse of Lion Menard


	Lion Charles Wright at work


	A real family event with something for all ages

	The first day and before sundown, the activity in the midway is just getting started

	Lion Johnny Metz is working the stone gate on Saturday afternoon



	Waiting for the crowd to show up






	The ticket line grows as the sun begins to set














	While the midway begins to fill up, a look at the prize winning arts and crafts





	Meanwhile, back on the midway


	Our Baptist friends provided cold water for the thirsty.


	Lion Jerry Pace taking pictures at the Fair

	Betty and Lion Harold Hogan

	The climax of the fair is the sale of animals that the young people of Newton County have been raising all year. The Lions Club participates in the auction. The money these kids earn goes to pay their expenses of raising the animals and for the college funds. Paul Hughes assists the auctioneer who is up in the booth.

	The auction barn was jammed with people buying livestock from the kids.


	Back "under the barn" kids are prepping their livestock to show when it is their turn. This has to be a magnificent animal given his Aggie pedigree!

	There are always more youth with animals than can be judged good enough for selling in the auction. They have the opportunity of selling their animals "under the barn" to folks who come by to look at the animals. Just like in the auction, folks have the opportunity of doing "add-ons". An add-on is when a buyer (unsuccessful bidder in the auction) adds some money on to the purchase price that goes to the young person as an extra amount of money. Even those youth who are unsuccessful in getting their animal into the auction can get some repayment of their expenses incurred in raising their animal.



	A view of the auction action from the back side

	A sheep being auctioned by one of the youth

	One of the youth who is waiting patiently to auction her goat

	The midway action on Saturday night. Quite spectacular for the kids



	Waiting in line to ride!


	Lion Johnny Metz back on the stone gate collecting entrance fees

	The end!