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Monday, Oct. 06, 2008

Jones fair serves up smaller alternative

GRAY -- There's a nip in the air, days are growing shorter and soon leaves will be turning colors.

Must be time for the fair.

But the big to-do in Perry isn't the only option for fairgoers this week. A small-town version, complete with rides, bright lights, music, dancing and fair food, is also available.

The 36th annual Jones County Lion's Club Fair opens Tuesday and runs through Saturday at the fairgrounds on Ga. 18 about three miles east of downtown Gray.

Gates open at 6 p.m. each evening. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children, with those 5 and younger admitted free. Armbands that allow unlimited riding are $15. Seniors will be admitted free Thursday.

Grady Tyler, who has been helping with the fair since it started, said Dixieland Carnival Co. of Phenix City, Ala., will be providing about 20 rides suitable for various ages, along with a few games and food booths.

"We've used Terry's Rides for several years, and everyone seemed to enjoy what they offered. The older man retired and sold out to his son and he renamed it, but it's still the same group we've been using," Tyler said.

"They'll also have a few games, ball-pitching and ring toss and that sort of thing, but we keep that down to be sure we don't have anything that takes advantage of people," he said. "And they'll have funnel cakes and candy apples and other food booths."

Perhaps the best food, however, can be found in the Lion's Club kitchen that is a staple at the fair, said Kema Clark, another organizer.

"They'll have hamburgers and barbecue and all of their homemade desserts. That's a highlight for me," Clark said.

The fair also features musical entertainment each night beginning at 7 and running until 10.

"It's mostly all local groups, and they show we have a lot of talented people here in our community," Clark said.

Scheduled to perform are the Southern Pride Cloggers and the Bradley Junction Band on Tuesday; the Dixie Doodle Cloggers and Little George & Last Call Band on Wednesday; the 4-H Talent Show, M.R. Jones and Paul Heath on Thursday; Mike Underwood and the Steel Cruisin' Band on Friday; and Tracy Wiggins and the Morgan Van Horne Band on Saturday. There is no additional charge to view the nightly entertainment.

"This is our major fundraiser each year, and we use all of the proceeds for our charities - mostly to provide eyeglasses and eye exams to students and nursing-home patients, but also to help with other community charities," Tyler said.

And running the same week as the Georgia National Fair in Perry isn't a bad thing, he said.

"The first year we had the same dates, we were afraid it would hurt us, but we've actually done better," Tyler said. "We get a lot of people from Bibb County who come up here. I guess they don't want to have to wait in the lines they do down there.

"We just have a good old-fashioned county fair. We keep it nice and clean and something families can enjoy together."

Readers with ideas for Mainstreets and Backroads articles from their community should call Chuck Thompson at (478) 744-4489.