Free Range Conversations, Episode 57: Fair To Include Pageant, Rodeo, Movie Night, More Sept. 16-20
RISON - With the annual Cleveland County Fair kicking off next month, Fair President Roy Phillips and Fair Manager John Appleget joined the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast.
Chatting with co-hosts Britt Talent and Douglas Boultinghouse, the fair officials break down the schedule, answer exhibit questions and shares how much money you could make by entering the fair.
The full episode is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and ClevelandCountyHerald. com The information discussed in the podcast can also be found in the county fair tabloid available digitally online at Cleveland-CountyHerald.com and on Facebook. Printed copies of the tabloid are also available this week at the Herald office, County Extension office and other locations around the county.
The fair is scheduled for Sept. 16 through Sept. 20, running from Tuesday to Saturday. The fair pageants have been moved to a separate date, kicking off fair week on Saturday, Sept. 13. The move was made so the winners, the Queen and Junior Queen, can be present and participate throughout the fair week.
The Cleveland County Youth Pageant will be held at 10 a.m. and the Cleveland County Fair Queen and Junior Fair Queen pageants will follow at 3 p.m.
There is an admission fee to watch the pageants, which is $5 for ages six and up.
A significant change this year is that all entry forms for the pageant will be completed online using a Google Form. A QR code is provided in the fair tabloid to take participants directly to the form.
A $2,000 college scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Monticello is also available for the pageant winner. The residency requirement has been changed from living in the county to residing in the state of Arkansas to encourage more entries.
All eligibility requirements are listed in the tabloid and on the entry forms.
Exhibits, excluding livestock and baked goods, must be entered on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Judging for some floriculture and horticulture categories will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
Baked goods have a specific entry time on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Livestock exhibits may be entered on Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m.
All other exhibits will be judged starting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The judged exhibits will be open to the public for viewing at approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday after the conclusion of judging.
During the podcast, Phillips and Appleget break down the judging process and point system, noting that while many people think it’s a competition, it is actually not.
According to Phillips, participants are not judged against each other.
“They are actually competing against a set of standards,' he said.
The closer an entry is to, or exceeds those standards, the more points it earns.
The judging criteria can be very specific when setting those standards. Appleget said he previously entered canned goods, but an entry was downgraded due to a rusty spot on ajar ring.
Canned goods are just one of the many things people can enter in the fair. Clothing, furniture, produce, floral arrangements, photography and more. All of the categories are listed in the tabloid.
The main requirement is all items must be handmade or homegrown. Nothing can be purchased and entered.
Entries are awarded ribbons, primarily blue for first place and red for second. Each ribbon earns a certain amount of points, generally 2 to 5 points.
The only form of competition is for the 'Best of Show' award, given to an item per category that 'just stands out in its category,' according to Phillips.
This award provides additional points beyond a blue or red ribbon.
The total points are accumulated and then converted into prize money. The amount paid per point is based on the fair's budget, which is funded by premium money from the state.
The amount of money paid per point is often about a dollar, but it can vary each year depending on the number of entries.
Phillips recalled one individual received a check for around $400 for their entries.
The organizers are hopeful they will see an increase in entries for a third year after the past two years have been on the rise. The more entries the fair receives, the better the prize money will be for the following year.
Appleget also reminds listeners that there are two separate judging groups: adults and a junior division for school-age kids, roughly 18 and under, who compete against their peers.
The hosts express hope that more young people and their parents will get involved, especially since they can earn money for their entries.
The podcast also covers more events at the fair including the livestock show, bingo, Kinders performance and movie night on Thursday, Sept. 18.
A rodeo is also set for Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20 with nightly entertainment and $4,500 in added money.
While most activities at the fail- are free to attend, there is an admission charge to the rodeo. Admission is $10 per person, ages 6 and up.
Phillips noted during the podcast that one of the fundraising efforts for the fair is through booths inside the exhibit hall.
Requirements are listed in the tabloid, but anyone interested in signing up to have an educational or commercial (or retail) booth, contact Karen Bell Fox at (870) 692-4097.