There are a few things about this year’s Texas County Fair that could prove to be worth some attention.
For one, the county’s biggest annual event begins next week in order to accommodate the carnival attractions company, Lowery Amusements (out of St. Louis). But what comes with that arrangement is the carnival will be up and running on Wednesday night, instead of just Thursday through Saturday, as in the past.
So basically, Wednesday is now an “official” day of the fair, instead of simply the first day of livestock competition hosted by the Texas County Fair board. To boot, Lowery is annually the carnival outfit at the Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield and will likely present quite a set up in Texas County before fulfilling duty the following week at that much larger regional event.
But the 65th edition of the fair promises to be interesting for several more unusual reasons. Not that it’s going to be the freak show that it was in the past (when 70-year-old ladies performed death-defying, 90-foot high dives into virtual puddles and guys used gravity, inertia and other natural forces to turn a tall metal pole into a wildly swaying one-man thrill ride), it will indeed offer much more than cotton candy, bumper cars, vegetable displays and pigs.
Not that there’s anything wrong with those things or the others that have comprised the fair’s lineup in recent years; to the contrary, it’s always great to get out there amongst the folks involved in the livestock activities, and one cannot be reminded too often how much fun bashing into a relative can be or what a perfect butternut squash looks like.
But this time around there will certainly be a more diverse selection of entertainment that should pique the interest of even the most discerning (or picky) of fair-goers. Especially at night.
While days will feature plenty at which to marvel (like the awe-inspiring, tension-packed spectacle of bunny competition, and the controlled mayhem of the demolition derby-style swine showing), each night this year will feature some sort of “big show.”
It kicks off Wednesday with Christian youth night, during which the Riders on a Mission (R.O.A.M.) ministry group will apparently go Xtreme on Houston with a bunch of speedy and high-flying motorcycle stunts.
Things continue Thursday with “fit family night” (hosted by Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities) featuring fun and games including an obstacle course, washers, corn hole and ladder golf. And I can’t wait to find out what kind of tunes “Cat Daddy and the Wild Whiskers” play.
Then comes Friday night, which to me looms as a potentially epic time in the county’s history, as professional wrestler Harley Race brings his traveling band of fine-tuned World League Wrestling athletes come to Houston from their headquarters in Troy (you know, that global wrestling mecca in Lincoln County, northwest of St. Louis) to put on a titanic display of expertise and talent.
The “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd should be plentiful.
On Saturday night, the fair will conclude with a truck pull. Smoke, loud engines, dust (or mud) and the smell of diesel – there’s always room for that kind of good time in an old wooden arena.
That’s not a bad four-night lineup, especially considering the supporting cast of rides, animals, food, music, displays and all the other stuff that will no doubt be at attendees’ disposal almost all day long.
Oh, and it should be mentioned that there will be a ceremony honoring military veterans of all eras in the fairgrounds arena Thursday night at 6. Regardless of political viewpoints, the simple fact is these are the guys and gals who were out there in harm’s way (or supported their peers who did) and deserve to be recognized for it.
Anyway, as fair week approaches, I’m left with some unanswered questions:
Will that iconic hawk-screeching sound blare out over the public address system speakers when Harley Race or some other World League Wrestling “superstar” leaps from a turn-buckle and lands squarely in the middle of an “unsuspecting” opponent’s torso?
Will fair board vice chairman Tony Bieller’s son Garrett again have to display his quick reflexes to avoid being cold-cocked by a jumping goat in the center of the livestock showing arena?
Will Texas County Memorial Hospital’s emergency room fill up with obstacle course and ladder golf competitors with pulled muscles and twisted ankles immediately following “fit family night?”
Will fair board chairman Darren Ice once again be right in saying that “it rains at least once during the fair every year.”
I intend to get answers.
Kudos to the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce for (as one board member said) “trying.” It won’t go unnoticed (and already isn’t).
See you at the fair – rain, shine or triple-digit temperatures.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.