Fair goers enjoy riding the swings, a classic carnival ride, at the 2019 Wirt County Fair on Saturday. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

ELIZABETH — The 2019 Wirt County Fair wrapped up Saturday with an abundance of activities for everyone to enjoy.

Some of those were the carnival rides, a watermelon eating contest, the West Virginia Mountaineer State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Children’s Business Fair.

The carnival was already booming with business as soon as it opened at 1 p.m.

“I really enjoy the slides,” said Jessa Lockhart, 4, of Palestine.

And Lockhart was not the only one, as the slides had a steady stream of children lining up to ride down them most of the afternoon. The afternoon kicked off with multiple competitions also happening.

Addy Bumgarner, 8, of Elizabeth works a shaved ice stand in the Childrens second annual business fair, and Rylee Lockhart, 11, receives her grape snow cone. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

At the watermelon eating contest, Lylia Bumgarner, 6, of Elizabeth, won first place in the children’s contest, which had 10 contestants eating to win.

“The trick is to just bite into it and go, don’t worry about the mess if you want to win,” she said.

Over in the pavilion, there were the arm wrestling championships taking place as well.

“I started arm wrestling in this competition when I was 4,” said Emma Casto, 11, of Elizabeth.

Casto said both her grandmother and grandfather have competed in the past, and her grandmother now helps organize the event.

Jessa Lockhart, 4, of Palestine, slides down the slides while enjoying the 2019 Wirt County Fair on Saturday. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

“It is kind of a family tradition at this point, and I look forward to it every year,” she said.

Casto received second place in her division, beating out multiple boys her age.

Another great past time at the fair was shopping from the Children’s Business Fair.

“This year we have 22 kids and 14 booths,” said Melissa Moss, event coordinator.

According to Moss, the business fair gives children a chance to be creative and learn what it takes to run their own business.

Kyra Wine, 10, of Elizabeth, dunks Merideth Cotrill, 14, a former member of the Wirt County Middle School basketball team, to help raise money for the team. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

“Any business idea kids 4-18 can come up with are allowed,” she said.

At the business fair, there are judges that critique and discuss the business plans with the children to help them learn and encourage them to continue selling on their own.

” I love to paint once I got started I couldn’t stop,” said Abby Hoyt, 11, of Elizabeth, who was selling Disney themed canvas paintings at the business fair.

Other booths sold lemonade or snowcones, held guessing games, offered a service or were a wide range of crafts.

Carley Bauman, 12, of Elizabeth, was selling scrunchies that she had made all by herself.

Wirt County Fair Queen Kaitlyn Thompson tries her luck during the watermelon eating contest at the 2019 Wirt County Fair on Saturday. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

“First you measure out the fabric, then sew and string elastic through,” she explained.

“I started making them because I like scrunchies and now I can make them out of any fabric or design I want,” Bauman said.

With Wirt County fair concluded Saturday night with live entertainment and fireworks.

Madeline Scarborough can be reached at mscarborough@newsandsentinel.com

From left, Easton Wyre, 11, and Tyler Smith, 11, face off in an arm wrestling match at the 2019 Wirt County Fair on Saturday. Wyre won the match. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)

Lylia Bumgarner, 6, of Elizabeth, wins first place in the children’s watermelon eating contest at the 2019 Wirt County Fair on Saturday. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)