County fair starts Friday
Comet staff report

The 2007 Carroll County 4-H Fair will open Friday evening in Flora with a carnival and Little Miss & Mister Pageant.

Beer's and Jessop's Co. Inc. will have rides set up Friday through Friday July 13-20. Midway specials will be offered. The carnival is sponsored by the Flora Community Club.

The Little Miss & Mister Pageant will be held in the show arena, starting at 7 p.m. There are 23 contestants.

The Merchant's Building is opening, too, on Friday evening and will be open each evening throughout the fair.

The 50th annual 4-H Fair Queen Pageant will be Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the show arena. Jane Williams Kearns, the county's first 4-H Fair queen, will be a special guest.

The 4-H Parade will be Sunday afternoon at 2, starting from Jackson-Lee-Pearson John Deere, continuing up Clark Street, north on Center St., then east on Main St. to the park. Parade marshals are Don and Jane Ann Craft, long-time 4-H supporters. This year's theme is "4- H Fun in the Sun."

Carroll County Kid's Day will be Sunday, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Merchant's Building. Sponsored by the Tobacco Prevention Coalition, this free event will feature health information and fun.

Carroll County Antique Tractor Club will have a display. The club is also sponsoring a free corn shredder demo Monday at 6 p.m. The club will serve homemade ice cream at 7:30.

Dick Burns will be calling the cues for square dancing that starts at 7 p.m. Monday at the basketball court. Observation is free.

Troy Zahner of Mishawaka will bring his tractors back on Tuesday night at the basketball court. The pull is for ages three through adult, men and women. Winners may be eligible for a national competition. Registration will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with the pulls starting at 5:30. There is a $5 charge.

The Smokehouse will be set up Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m., just east of the Merchants Building, for practicing evacuation from a burning home. The event is family friendly and free.

The 4-H horse and gaming events are Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. in the horse arena. The 4-H Fashion Revue is Sunday evening at 7 in the show arena.

Special awards and champion trophies will be presented to 4- Hers at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the show arena.

Livestock shows are: Saturday - Rabbits; Monday - Poultry, cat, dog and llama/alpaca; Tuesday - Goat, horse and pony, pocket pets, and sheep. Wednesday - Beef, Thursday - Swine. The 4-H Livestock Auction starts at 6 p.m. Friday in the show arena.

The Cookie Bake-A-Rama on Wednesday is open to anyone, regardless of age. There will be both youth and adult categories. Any type of baked cookie may be entered. Cookies must be entered between 9-10 a.m. in the Home & Family Arts Building. Judging will begin at 10. Winners will be announced immediately following judging. Harvest of Quilts at the Fair will be on display Tuesday through Friday in the Home & Family Arts Building. Hours are: Tuesday 1 to 9 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Winners are selected from categories by popular vote.

There are new project categories in Open Class. Open Class is open to any Carroll County or adjacent county resident, 18 years or older, not enrolled in 4-H. New projects this year include Foods - Multigrain breads, Make a Dessert with Pineapple, Fiber Art - Quilted Clothing, Fiber Art - Fabric Manipulation, Fabric Art - Surface Design, Jewelry, House Plants - Terrarium, House Plants - Dish Garden. There are many more categories adults can enter.

If interested or have further questions concerning Open Class, Harvest of Quilts or the Cookie Bake-A-Rama, contact Darice Sheiss at the Extension Office, 765-564-3169.

Bidders are needed at Friday night's 4-H auction to help support the Extension Homemakers' Iris McCain Scholarship. A Longaberger® basket has been donated by Pam Michael, Independent Longaberger® National Sales Leader to be auctioned off with the cookies "From the Best Cooks in Carroll County" Cookie Bake A Rama entries and frozen to be sold at the livestock auction. All profit from the cookie/basket auction will go to the Iris McCain Memorial Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded to adult Carroll County residents returning to college.

For a complete schedule of events see pages 6&7A and for 4-H queen and Little Miss and Mister contest information see page 1B.