Fair Kicks Off Friday Night

Starting Friday, the City of Columbia will be filled with all types of fun and excitement as the 2009 Adair County Fair and Horse Show gets underway.
"We think we've got everything lined up to have an outstanding fair this year," Fair Board Chairman Greg Thomas said. "It looks like its going to be real nice weather at least through the weekend, and hopefully it will continue through next week."
Fair activities get started this Friday, July 3, with the dairy cattle show in the morning and the horse show that night.
On Saturday, July 4th, there will be a corn hole tournament starting at noon, and the evening's activities will begin at 6 p.m. with expanded Family Fun Games for all ages. As usual, a large fireworks show will cap off the night.
The fair will get fully underway on Monday, July 6 when the carnival midway opens for its six-night run. Monday night activities will include pageants and the small car demolition derby. A new event that will be staged between small car heats is a lawn mower demolition derby.
Tuesday night will see more pageants, including the Miss Adair County Fair pageant, Dancing with the Stars, a mule pull and ATV races. It will also be the first night of the Fair Idol Contest. Six contestants will be vying for the Fair Idol, with one contestant being eliminated each night until a winner is crowned Saturday night.
Tuesday night is also Family Night at the fair, with reduced admission for everyone.
"We've raised the entry price to $10 this year, but on Tuesday night, admission will be $8 for everyone," Thomas noted. "The carnival will also open at 4 p.m. so people can come early and the kids can ride all the rides they want."
Entries will also be taken for the Floral Hall starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and registration has been changed.
"To help eliminate the long lines, this year people can pre-register their Floral Hall entries at the Adair County Extension Office," Thomas explained. "Entry forms can be picked up anytime at the office prior to the fair."
Wednesday night's fare includes more pageants, a goat show, and the ever-popular mud sling.
"People are accustomed to us having the mud sling on Friday night, but we've changed things around a little this year, and it will be on Wednesday," Thomas noted. "On Friday night, we'll be having a rodeo."
Thursday night will feature the final pageant of the fair (the Tiny Tot Pageant), a fun pet show, goat show, karoke and the KTPA truck pull.
On Friday night, the ever popular Coca-Cola Talent Contest will be held starting at 6 p.m. with the rodeo set to begin at 7:30 p.m. The wood carver will also be on had demonstrating his skills, and there will also be a youth archery contest and an ATV Extreme show.
The final day of the fair on Saturday will get underway with the beef cattle show in the morning. That evening, the Fair Idol will be crowned, then the big car demolition derby - always the crowd favorite - will get underway at 7:30 p.m.
The fair will conclude with the giveways, including the $10,000 being given away by the Jaycees. People will have a chance to win cash prizes each night of the fair, in addition to the large amounts that will be given away on Saturday.
"We feel like we've got something for everyone at the fair," Thomas noted. "We not only have pageants, talent, demolition derbies, mud sling and a rodeo, but numerous other events.
"We encourage everyone to come out, support the fair and have a good time," he continued. "Plus, you'll have a chance to the support the Adair County Band, as they have all the food concessions this year to help raise money for their trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade."