‘I love this place’
Jacktown Fair begins 161st year with parade, crowning of queen
The rides, food, animals, and music returned to Wind Ridge Tuesday as the 161st annual Jacktown Fair kicked off with the parade and crowning of the new fair queen.
From lawn chairs and front porches, people watched the parade roll through Wind Ridge down Route 21 all the way past the fair gates, where crowds sat on top of decorated hay bales to watch the show.
Eighty-four groups took part in this year’s parade, which brings people in from all corners of the county and beyond, said parade coordinator Marcia Sonneborn.
“I’ve had them come in from West Virginia, and sometimes there’s little kids, and it’s a really a big deal for them to be able to participate in the parade,” she said. “It’s just a community effort, and it brings a lot of people together from throughout the community.”
With the parade complete, Sonneborn planned to watch the demolition derby, take a trip through the animal barns and check out the exhibit halls to see what people have entered.
Many members of the crowd wandered up from the parade route to the grandstands, where they witnessed the announcement of the newest Jacktown Fair Queen, Kendra Tharp.
An FFA student throughout high school, Tharp liked the queen’s role of promoting agriculture. She’d also heard how fun it is from past queens who are friends — or in the case of 2023 Queen Marissa Tharp, her sister.
“You get to go to a lot of places, meet a lot of people,” Kendra said, recounting Marissa’s experience. “It gets you out there. You get to talk to a bunch of younger kids. It’s just a really good way to help build your social skills and just go and see different places that you’ve never been before.”
She’s excited about the state competition in Hershey, where she’ll get to talk with 100 girls who share her passion for agriculture and status as royalty.
As for the rest of fair week, Kendra is looking forward to the demolition derby (“everyone’s favorite,” she said), and the livestock shows in the barns.
“I have some friends who show, so it’s going to be really nice to watch them and see what they do down there,” she said.
People also found plenty of fun on the midway, with many pointing in wonder at juggler Greg Harper of the Cincinnati Circus Company, who wandered the ground on stilts.
Nancee West of Washington grabbed a photo with Harper and walked away with a complimentary animal balloon.
A former West Greene School District teacher, she likes coming to the fair every year to talk to people and admire the work the kids are doing at the livestock auctions.
“It’s a great community event, and it’s one of those rare things that you don’t have anymore,” said West, who said it was important to hold on to the legacy of the fair. “So everybody in the community should come out.”
After the crowning, people flocked to the food booths and the rides. Jayden Burns of Jacktown was waiting with his friends to ride the Mind Winder.
The fair’s been an annual ritual for all of his 14 years, Burns said.
His favorite parts? The rides and the workers.
“Dude, it’s so lit,” he said. “…Everybody’s nice, and everybody treats you really good.”
Though he’s not involved with the agricultural side of things, Burns routinely participates in the ATV races.
“I love this place,” he said. “I can’t wait for it every year when this comes around.”