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Pleasants County Agricultural Youth Fair ready for return

Callie Bennett won the grand champion feeder calf award for last year’s Pleasants County Agricultural Youth Fair which was virtual. Her calf sold for $2,100. This year’s fair will be in-person Saturday and Sunday at the St. Marys Marina and the St. Marys High School barn. (Photo Provided)

ST. MARYS — The Pleasants County Agricultural Youth Fair is set for this weekend after last year was changed to a virtual event.

Starting Saturday, this weekend’s fair will have live entertainment, a livestock show and sale and a few new additions.

Children will be able to pet animals, ride ponies and meet some of their favorite cartoon characters with another new addition of the garden tractor pulls, according to WVU Extension Service 4-H program assistant Traci Brammer.

Another new children’s activity is the corn coin hunt. Silver dollar coins will be hidden in an animal trough and children aged 3-12 will be able to dig through the corn to find the buried treasures.

“Somebody had seen them do that at another fair and said the kids loved it, so we’re going to give it a whirl,” Brammer said.

This week, Hannah Dearth was crowned the 2021 Pleasants County Agricultural Youth Fair Queen. The fair will be Saturday and Sunday. (Photo Provided)

The fair is spread out between two locations; the Saint Marys High School barn and the St. Marys Marina and a shuttle wagon will be on site to take people to and from the locations.

Because it is on school property, Brammer said masks will be required inside the SMHS barn and they are recommended inside the marina building.

Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the venues and Brammer said people are encouraged to social distance even if they are outside.

With part of the festivities set at the marina, people will have the opportunity to rent a kayak and paddle down the rive during the fair to get a view of the events from the water.

Instead of outside vendors, since the inception of the Pleasants County fair, local nonprofit organizations set up food booths and pocket all the profits.

“They pay a flat fee for the weekend to set up and whatever they make is their profit. It’s just nice to do something for nonprofit groups, they can make some good money,” Brammer said.

A few local 4-H clubs have food booths and Brammer said it can be a big fundraiser for them.

Admission for the fair is $5 and children under the age of 5 are admitted free. Brammer said from the beginning, fair officials wanted to make it an affordable event.

“Our main goals over the years is to try and provide entertainment to families at an affordable (rate) so they can bring their kids and have a good time,” she said.

Candice Black can be reached at cblack@newsandsentine.com.

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A schedule of events is as follows:

SATURDAY

* 10 a.m.: Pie baking contest

* 1 p.m.: Zac Windland concert

* 1:30 p.m.; Kid’s best dressed animal contest; Youth livestock skill-a-thon

* 2 p.m.: Kid’s costume contest; Clint Carset concert

* 2-6 p.m.: Petting zoo

* 4 p.m.: Garden tractor pull; Country Club Band concert

* 5 p.m.; Jeffrey Wayne concert

* 6:30 p.m.: Demolition derby

* 7 p.m.: Stadium 11 concert

SUNDAY

* 1 p.m.: Youth ATV Rodeo; Donnie Barney concert

* 1-4 p.m.: Character meet and greets

* 1:30 p.m.: Hog dog eating contest; Cornhole tournament

* 2:15 p.m.: Plan B concert

* 3 p.m.: Cutest baby contest winner announcement

For more information, visit the Pleasants County Agricultural Youth Fair Facebook page or pleasantscountyfair.com.

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