Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 13, 1993 TAG: 9308130447
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MICHAEL CSOLLANY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT LENGTH: Medium
The 94-year-old has been to every fair since it began in 1936 and is looking forward to the 58th installment this weekend.
"I've got a bad knee and don't do much walking, but I'll make it there some way or another," he said.
Reynolds surely will be aided by family members who annually return to this event, which is a local homecoming.
"Everybody's family comes back for this," explained Betsy Sarver, the fair's president.
"Even if they don't get home for Christmas, they still get here for the fair."
The fair - which organizers tout as the oldest agricultural fair in the state - has the usual mix of farm and livestock exhibits, games, music and food.
Changing Lanes, a progressive bluegrass group, will provide the entertainment tonight, while country band Broken Reins will croon on Saturday. Fireworks cap off the final evening.
Ron Holdren, a fair organizer, explained that the location of the fairgrounds at the Recreation Center on Virginia 42 heightens the effect of the fireworks:
"The boom is twice as loud being between these two ridges, and the fireworks just light up all the foliage here," he said.
But the fair also has a rich history of other events, some unusual.
A horse show, a beauty pageant, and a pet show are all on the agenda.
The pet show is one of the more popular events, with children bringing their dogs and cats, but organizers warn that no horses or cows are allowed. "But there are categories for Best-Groomed Guinea Pig and Best-Dressed Rat," Sarver said.
Judges are imported from another county to keep the contests fair, organizer Bill Vincel said.
Another event is the jousting tournament - popular with spectators and participants alike.
Contestants, announced as knights and ladies, attempt to catch rings on the ends of their jousting poles.
"I like the tournament," Howard Reynolds said. "I don't ride or nothing like that, but I used to hang the rings."
But most people simply enjoy the fair as a chance to get together with friends and family.
"At the 50th anniversary fair, it rained cats and dogs all day long, but everybody came inside and stayed," Sarver said.
The fair gives people a chance to exchange stories and reminisce.
J. Doake Lucas will be there, and probably will tell about the time he climbed the greased pole at a fair many years ago. His father-in-law said he'd give him a $1 to climb the pole and he did.
"He paid me," Lucas said. "And I paid for it, too, for the next three weeks."
Reynolds may even tell the story about one of the first fairs he attended when there was only one animal - a single horse.
"It jumped around and jumped upon us. It was the entertainment, too," Reynolds said.
\ Fair schedule\ The Newport Fair will be held today, 4-11 p.m, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. There is a small admission charge.\ \ Today
\ 4-8 p.m. Exhibit entries accepted.
\ 6 p.m. Pet show.
\ 8 p.m. Judging of exhibits.
\ 8 p.m. Little Miss Newport, Junior Miss Newport and Miss Newport Pageant.
\ 9-11 p.m. Music by Changing Lanes.\ \ Saturday
\ 10 a.m. Horse show.
\ 10 a.m. Judging of livestock.
\ 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Games.
\ 2 p.m. Draft-horse pull.
\ 3 p.m. Cake walk.
\ 5 p.m. Jousting tournament.
\ 7:30 p.m. Music by Broken Reins.
\ 8 p.m. Dance (ages 18 and under).
\ 9:30 p.m. Fireworks.
by CNB