Autauga County Fair Organization

P. O. Box 680267 

Prattville, AL 36068-0267

Email

Gary Essary - Fair President

gary@autaugacountyfair.com

Mike Surles - Fair Vice President

mike@autaugacountyfair.com

Anthony Castaldo--Entertainment Director

Shawn Hudak - Commercial and Non-Profit Booth Director

shawn.autaugacountyfair@gmail.com

410-703-8989 cell

Logan Strock - Livestock Director

Billingsley HS FFA
Logan.Strock@acboe.net

Arts and Crafts - Beth Scott 334-730-3469

9/13/2024:  get ready… Less than a month until this year's fair!

Can you carve a cucumber into a rose, carve a watermelon into a frog, or how about make a pumpkin into a boat? If so, bring your creation to the fair!  The Autauga County Fair, Oct. 1 – 5, is having a Fruit Carving Contest for all ages this year. We are also having a very talented carver give talks in our Speakers Bureau on how to do these carvings. For more information, please go to our website www. AutaugaCountyFair.com or call 334.717.0277

Something old is the first line of a traditional
rhyme that details what a bride should wear at her wedding for good luck. Something
old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in
her shoe is how the rhyme of old English folklore goes. The 2013 Autauga County Fair (ACF), Oct. 1 –
5, 2013 easily fits this rhyme with its own traditions.

Something old. Unlimited daily carnival rides for only $20 is back this year. This good deal will be offered each day of
the Fair. The daily adult entrance fee will be $3.00.   ACF Organization President Gary Essary states, “We determined our adult entrance price by sampling all the county fairs this year and split the lowest in half.” The half price rate is offered by the new ACF
Organization as a first year special. Delicious fair food, thrilling rides, and good family fun will again fill the fairgrounds the first week in October.

Something new. Fair sponsorship ensures our fair continues to offer quality entertainment at reasonable prices each year. And now, businesses, groups, and individuals can take advantage of several new levels of sponsorship offered at www.AutaugaCountyFair.com. New competitions mentioned in previous articles such as the Battle of the BBQ and Homebrew Beer Competitions tests the culinary skills of our locals. The ACF Music Festival with over 40 acts covering the five-day period presents a completely new level of entertainment in Autauga County. Also, don’t miss the daily talks on the newly offered Speaker’s Stage.

Something borrowed. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is letting us borrow its portable Internet trailer.   It is a
self-contained communication “Wi-Fi” hot spot” used here in the state and as part of a Southeastern coalition of Extension services to share in the event of major disasters such as hurricanes or tornados. Fair-goers will have free access to Wi-Fi and able to post updates and pictures having fun at the fair…even from the top of the Ferris Wheel.
             Something blue. “ Blu” is actually her name. She is one of the new logo characters in this year’s advertising campaign. She is “Tauga’s” sidekick and you will see her picture all over the fair as the new mascots representing the new Autauga County Fair. 
Her outfit resembles the traditional Blue Ribbon awarded to the top Arts and Crafts items submitted at the annual fair.
            and a silver sixpence in her shoe. You may not find a silver sixpence at the fair, but you will find your friends and neighbors in the Gene and Virginia Hall Building where numerous civic and business organizations will be manning their booths. There are a few booths left for those who would like to participate.

 ACF will be open Tues., Oct. 1 through Fri., Oct. 4 from 6 pm to 10 pm. Sat., Oct. 5,
from 1 pm to 10 pm. There is no charge to enter the Arts and Crafts exhibits.The rules, categories and general information are on our website. For those who do not have Inte net, printed copies of registration and other information about the Fair are available at
the Doster Center (424 South Northington St., 334-361-3640) in Prattville. For more information about the Autauga County Fair, visit http://www.autaugacountyfair.com. If you have any questions, please contact Deborah Cheatum, Fair Director, at deborah@autaugacountyfair.com or 334.717.0277. See you at the Fair!!

If you want to see the competitive side of someone, take them to the fair. It’s an annual fall tradition to watch as young men swagger in front of an amusement game, their manhood challenged by a seasoned carnival worker to prove their love by “winning” the largest stuffed animal for their girl. Later we see the joy on his face holding hands, parading the fairgrounds with his loved one holding an oversized panda. We admire his carnival game skills…or deep pockets that allowed his competitive nature to shine. The Fair brings it out of us…and this year’s Autauga County Fair will offer plenty of friendly competitions. Here are a few.

            Returning after a multiyear absence is the Fairest of the Fair Beauty Pageant. The Tuesday night pageant will offer several divisions to cover girls of all ages in our county. Baby Fairest is 18 months to 3 years; Tiny Fairest is 4 to 7 years; Little Fairest is 8 to 11 years, Teen Fairest 12 to 15 years, and the Miss Fairest of the Fair 16 to 19 years old. Judges will look for girls that show their natural beauty, personality and act age appropriate. Winners will have the opportunity to represent the Autauga County Fair at several events.

            This year’s Talent Show contest is sponsored by experts in the talent field, the Prattville High School Spotlight Show choir. “We are excited about the Talent Show this year and offer a wonderful opportunity to showcase talent in our community,” said Michael Wilson, the PHS Choral Director. Wilson stated “the show is open to a wide variety of talent,” when asked if only singing was allowed, “not only signing…but any form of entertainment.” Prize money will be offered for the top five finishers during this Tuesday night event.

            Cooking TV shows have made BBQ competitions very popular recently. This year the Fair will host their first Battle of the BBQ Cookoff. It is being sponsored by the Prattville High School Softball Team. “We will have two levels of competition…the Professional and the Backyard divisions,” stated PHS Softball Booster Club President, John Morris.

“Everyone is invited out Saturday afternoon to sample from the best cooks in the county…we’ll have donation jars out that will declare our ‘People’s Choice’ winner,” stated Morris.

Other competitions like returning Arts and Crafts Exhibitions and the first Homebrew Beer competitions have been reported in earlier articles. Entry requirements and more detailed information about these and other exciting features of the 2013 Autauga County Fair can be found at www.AutaugaCountyFair.com.

Traditional county fairs are known for their contests where entrants vie for the coveted Blue Ribbon each year. This year, the Autauga County Fair will add a Home Brew Beer category alongside the canned fruit and vegetables in its Arts and Crafts building. This year’s fair will be held from October 1-5, 2013 at Mac Gray Park in Prattville.

On May 9, 2013, Governor Robert Bentley signed Representative Mac McCutcheon’s HB9, the Alabama Homebrew Bill, into law. The 2013 Autauga County Fair will host the very first fair homebrew competition in the state and is open to all Alabama residents 21 and over. There is no restriction as to the number and different style of beer contestants choose to enter...but only homebrew...no entries from commercial facilities will be accepted.

“We are new group with new ideas and we wanted give our aficionados of homebrew beer a chance to get feedback on their concoctions from experts in this newly allowed hobby,” stated Autauga County Fair President Gary Essary. “We are bringing in 
‘beer sippin specialists’ from Hop City, a craft beer and supply store in Birmingham and Atlanta, to judge our submitted samples,” Essary explained.

In addition to the new category addition, the craft brew meisters will be offering several seminars for the beer enthusiast on the newly formed “Speakers Stage.” “The Speaker’s Stage is another new addition to our fair,” stated Fair Director Deborah Cheatum, “it will give residents a chance to hear a wide variety of topics from experts in their fields.” The home brew beer seminars are open to all over the age of 21 and will offer attendees to put their names in the hat for a grand prize drawing on the last day of the fair. “The lucky selectee will win a full beginners brew kit...all the equipment needed to apply the knowledge gained from attending seminars at the fair,” stated Essary.

Any questions or general information on this new homebrew beer category or any ACF topic may be found on http://www.AuataugaCountyFair.com. The Arts & Crafts Category Listing can be found on this website and can be picked up at the Doster Center, 424 S. Northington St. (ph 334-361-3640). Booths for a business or charity organization are also available on this website.

“People are getting excited about the new fair this year and this is just one of many unique ways we hope to bring fun and entertainment to our community,” exclaimed Essary.

If you want to catch your breath after screaming on the midway carnival rides, pay a visit to the Arts and Crafts Building at the Autauga County Fair (ACF), Oct. 1 – 5, 2013 at Mac Gray Park. All the artistic and crafty people of Autauga County and Prattville will be back to compete for the coveted blue ribbons and bragging rights after missing last year. The ACF is bringing back the popular exhibits where a wide range of categories showcase the talents of Autauga County’s finest. “There is something for everyone this year…just pick a category that interests you and submit your item,” stated Fair Director Deborah Cheatum.

The Fair’s Arts and Crafts exhibits have a number of categories, including the baking section with cake decorating, cookies, candies, pies, and breads. Those who like to create with their hands have the sewing, needlework, handicrafts, art, and photography. Our green thumb residents may highlight their finest flowers, field and garden products and agricultural exhibits.

Local business owners and groups are able to rent a booth to display their business and interests to all the residents of our county in the Gene & Virginia Hall Building. Booth rental information is on our website. Deadline for booth requests is Sept. 25, 2013.

There is no charge to enter into the Arts and Crafts exhibits and you can find rules, categories and general information at http://www.autaugacountyfair.com/. All exhibitors must be Autauga County or Prattville residents.

For those who do not have Internet, printed copies of registration and other information about the Fair are available at the Doster Center (424 South Northington St., 334-361-3640) in Prattville.

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 at 8:16 PM

Sun, 8:16 PM

Message starred

Felder rushing's covered dish supper September 29th

FROM Nancy Waggoner TO You + 2 More

Show Details

From

Nancy Waggoner

To

'Deborah Cheatum'

'Paula Seamon'

'Tina Reed'

Hey all, we need to decide who is going to go to the covered dish reception for Felder Rushing in Hope Hull on the 29^th. It is in the evening at 6:30. If I go, I will have to ride with someone because when I am off the interstate and/or on neighborhood streets at night, I cannot see well enough to drive.

I told the person who is in charge of the supper that we in Prattville will have to bring something at room temp or chilled because if we go to his program, we won’t have time (I don’t think) to drive back up here, heat something up and drive to Hope Hull by 6:30. I don’t know how long his program is.

Deborah, do you know how we register for his program at the museum?

I need to know who all is planning on going. Deborah, I know you said you probably would not k

I will go if I can ride with someone.

Paula? Tina??

Nancy

We have booked Dixieland Carnival for the Midway Rides and Games.  They have been here for many years and have added a couple new rides in 2012.  Get ready for fun!