Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Kelsey Watkins, 16, of Damascus entered more than 40 projects and won more than 30 blue ribbons in last year's Damascus Community Fair.
On top of that, she received a $25 special award from Damascus American Legion Post 171 for her achievements.
She will enter another 40 or so projects this year – everything from arts and crafts and sewing to candy and rabbits.
"I just like doing this stuff," she said. "I love to cook, I love to sew."
As a 4-H junior leader, she also likes setting a good example with all her projects for the younger club members, she said.
Summer does not end in the upcounty until after the last pig is sold and blue ribbon awarded at the Damascus Community Fair. The 63rd fair will be held Friday through Sunday at the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department Activity Center and carnival grounds on Lewis Drive.
The fair offers a chance to see small farm animals up close and show off summer vegetables and last year's school, 4-H and Scout projects.
Fair president Cindy Cervenka describes it as a fun family event.
"It's an opportunity to spend time with the family that doesn't cost a lot of money," she said. "This is a great event."
Admission and parking are free, as are most of the activities. Even the popcorn is free, courtesy of the Damascus Lions Club. The Lions Club will also offer free vision and hearing screening.
The Damascus Volunteer Fire Department and its auxiliary will sell meals, snacks and drinks at reasonable rates. A chicken dinner will cost $8 for dark meat, $8.50 for white meat.
School children will be the first to see the fair. School groups will be given guided tours before the fair opens to the public Friday at noon.
At the end of the school day older children usually rush to the fair with their parents to see the exhibits.
"What I enjoy seeing is … watching the young kids scanning the entries to find theirs and their ribbons," said Tess Gladhill, last year's fair president.
Entries may be dropped off 4-8 p.m. Thursday.
Two popular contests are scheduled for Friday night: ice cream making at 6:30 p.m., followed by karaoke starting at 7 p.m.
Saturday's events will start at 8 a.m. with a fun run sponsored by Sandy Spring National Bank. The course is one-quarter mile long, and the race is open to children up to 12 years old. Separate races will be run for children in varying age categories. Everyone will receive a ribbon.
Small farm animals, poultry and alpacas will be on display every day.
Saturday and Sunday will feature a free moonbounce and ring toss game, as well as cardboard cow children can try milking all day. Entertainment is scheduled throughout the fair, with the Jimmy Purdum Band playing 4-6 p.m. Saturday.
Children can compete in the pet show with their pet dogs Saturday and their cats Sunday. Competitions include a search for the oldest, youngest, best groomed, loudest and most regular. Snakes, lizards, turtles and birds also compete Saturday. Hermit crabs will compete Sunday.
A costume contest for pets and their owners will be held each day.
Saturday's main event is the livestock and cake auction, which will begin at 7 p.m. Sheep, swine and beef raised by local 4-H'ers will be sold as will cakes baked by some of the best bakers in the area.
This year's auction will feature 20 chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, carrot cakes, pound cakes and some that include it all, such as Jan Gladhill's brownie peanut butter cheesecake.
Money raised by the cake sale will help support next year's fair. Last year's cake auction raised a record of more than $15,000, Cervenka said.
The fair also receives some grant money from the state agricultural fair
Sunday is Grandparents' Day. Contests are planned for grandparents at 2 p.m. New this year is a bicycle-decorating contest.
The first Damascus Community Fair was held in 1926 or 1927 in the high school, fair organizers said.
Because the agriculture teacher and many of his students went off to war during World War II, the fair was suspended for a few years. It returned to the high school in 1946 and has been held annually ever since.
In the late 1980s, the high school stopped offering agriculture classes and the fair was moved to its current location and adult volunteers took over its planning.
4-8 p.m., Entries delivered
9 a.m. to Noon, guided school and preschool tours
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Animal exhibits open
4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Veggie Races
5 to 7 p.m., Dinner music provided by the Perdue family
6 p.m., Pedal Tractor Pull
6-8 p.m., Silent Auction
6:30 p.m., Ice Cream Making Contest
7 p.m., Karaoke Contest
8 a.m., 20th annual Fun Run
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Animal exhibits open
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monster truck rides, hay rides, pedal tractor pull, Damascus Theatre Company, silent auction and more
4-6 p.m., Jimmy Purdum Combo
5-7 p.m., Silent auction
7 p.m., Damascus Livestock Club and Damascus Community Fair cake auction
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Exhibits open to public
10 a.m., to 3 p.m., Free hay rides, dairy show, decorated bike contest, silent auction
1-2 p.m., Browningsville Band
1 p.m., Goat Show
2 p.m., Grandparents Program
2:30 p.m., Champion Pedal Tractor Pull-Off
