Some first-time fair participants slithered in on opening day, many of them often stereotyped as scary villains or Walt Disney charmers.
Some first-time fair participants slithered in on opening day, many of them often stereotyped as scary villains or Walt Disney charmers.
But, Grant Kemmerer came to set the record straight with his Wild World of Animals Show ___ at the Great Geauga County Fair.
“The purpose of the show is education, but it moves at a fast pace with many animals to see,” said Kemmerer, of Bentleyville, Pa. “The main talking points are the importance of all animals, that these wild animals are not pets, the problems facing wildlife today and dispelling myths and misconceptions about certain animals.”
“Oohs” and “awes” filled Midway Stage 2 as audience members trickled in to take early seats at the bleachers for the new entertainment show, which featured 12 different animals including a sloth, capybara, falcon and eagle-owl, as well as other reptiles, birds and mammals.
“My first animal, he falls into a category of big and, for me, heavy,” Kemmerer said. “This is an alligator snapping turtle. He grows to be the largest freshwater turtle in the world. They can hit sizes of 250 pounds and live in the neighborhood of 200 years. He’s a little over 100 years of age right now.”
Kemmerer travels across the country sharing his passion with his adopted animals in a trailer. Educating people for more than 35 years at state fairs, schools and special events is the highlight of his life, he said.
His wife, Jaimie, a former nurse, helps tend to their farm at home, which includes nearly 300 animals, many of which are given to the couple when people can no longer care for them.
They take in orphaned and injured animals, aiming to make their lives the best they can be, Kemmerer said.
He has supplied animals for feature film, television, commercial and print work for three decades. They’ve appeared in television shows including, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “Saturday Night Live,” “Good Morning America” and “Fox and Friends.”
“We are always excited to share our animals with any and every event we do,” Kemmerer said. “The more people in attendance, the better. The Geauga fair seems like a very well put together event.”
Jackie Sanislo, from Thompson Township, said the Wild World of Animals Show was great.
“It had many different animals you normally don’t get to see,” said Sanislo, whose kids are in Thompson Ledge Dairymen 4-H club. “I like the way he used humor and was informative. I’d say my favorite was the armadillo. I thought it was cute scampering around the stage. We are having a great time at the fair. We have been coming to the Great Geauga County Fair for years.”
Hambden Township’s Holly and Ron Frank were one of the first show-goers to take seats at the bleachers.
“He had a good variety of animals, some that you would not see at other animal shows,” Holly said.
Ron added he hopes it returns next year, but to a larger stage at the fair.
“It was a refreshing change of shows added to the fair,” Holly said. “Hope he comes back next year. It was well worth the watch.”
