Fair Auxiliary Undertakes Several Renovations
A few high cumulus clouds dotted a sunny sky, while flowers bloomed and a new white fence glistened in the unseasonably cool August air.
Whether or not the weather will cooperate with this year’s Great Geauga County Fair, Linda Smallwood said she hoped recent renovations performed by the fair’s auxiliary will showcase the uniqueness of Ohio’s oldest fair next week.
Smallwood, the Geauga County Fair Auxiliary president, highlighted fair-grounds updates during a tour last Thursday.
The auxiliary’s role is to help beautify the fairgrounds and assist the fair directors with “whatever needs to be done.”
Most recently, the auxiliary’s 19 members provided financial means to install 350 feet of white vinyl fence surrounding various buildings.
They include both the Flower and Domestic Arts buildings as well as the barn-red Antique Building, also referred to as Anniversary Hall.
“These fences are weather-resistant; you don’t have to paint them and they look great,” Smallwood said, adding the fence replaces an old, wooden picket fence painted white.
“Part of the old fence was sold off to the public,” she said.
Auburn Fence Corp. of Auburn Township installed the fence as well as two arched arbor walkways in the same general area.
The arbor arches hold up decorative flowers and plantings, Smallwood said.
The auxiliary has helped complete other projects in the past. A white gazebo southwest of the Domestic Arts and Flower buildings has a cute roof, she said, and the auxiliary was instrumental in the installation of a wishing well, designed by resident Scott Carlson.
“What’s interesting about the wishing well is that it uses mortise and tenon construction,” Smallwood said.
The construction system uses a series of holes and tenons, which fit their respective holes, according to www.fine
woodworking.com, a woodworking and construction website.
Mark Shaver of Middlefield Village will install hanging baskets and planters, while local greenhouses will plant flowers in the beds.
A Bushel of Fundraising Via Pie Competition
The auxiliary raises funds for the event via its annual apple pie judging competition and auction, sponsored by Patterson Fruit Farm of Chester Township.
On average, the auxiliary receives 70 entries in three categories divided according to competitors’ ages.
“In 2011, we had a grandmother, mother and child from the same family win each category,” Smallwood said. “These people take their pie-baking seriously.”
This year’s auction commences at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Vernon Howard Memorial Pavilion, where the Great Geauga County Fair Band usually plays for passers-by.
This year’s judge is a pastry chef from Chester Township. Every third year, the judgeship changes.
“Some judges like the pies sweet, while others like them tart,” she said. “It all depends on the judge.”
In addition to the pie judging competition, the auxiliary runs a general store in the Domestic Arts building, where they sell T-shirts, sweatshirts and, new for this year, $10 cookbooks.
The cookbooks feature 300 recipes from family and friends of both auxiliary members and fair board members.
Although the general public cannot be auxiliary members — state law dictates one auxiliary member apiece be selected by the fair’s 19 various directors — the general public can still help by sitting at exhibits and in other ways, Smallwood said.
The Middlefield Village resident said the Great Geauga County Fair is one of the best fairs she has seen and remarked “how it was neat” the fair was the oldest one in the state.?
She said her family’s involvement in 4-H led to her love for all things related to the fair.
The fair starts next week, Aug. 29.
“I just hope we have this weather two weeks from now,” she said. “You just have to have a love for this fair.”
For more information about the auxiliary or how to become a helper, contact Smallwood at 440-632-1369.
