By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The 77th Pemberville Free Fair will be making Miles of Smiles from Aug. 17-20.
[RELATED: Pemberville Free Fair Daily Schedule]
The theme is carried out inside tents, up and down parade routes, at events, on stages, during games and at food stands.
“No matter where you walk at the fair, you see smiles,” said Pemberville Fair Board President Kelli Bohland.
The fair is an end-of-summer tradition in the community that is small in numbers (population approximately 1400) but big in heart and pride.
That heart and pride shows up in the way the community supports the fair, Bohland said.
“Businesses and individuals give donations, and they give of their time and energy. Each year there are hundreds of volunteers who step up to help in the bingo tent, with the animals, and at the events,” she said.
“They might buy a fair book, give a monetary donation or like North Branch Nursery, place plants around the fairgrounds to make it look nicer. All of that support keeps everything going and makes everything really come together,” she added.
The support is what keeps the fair a “free fair.” There is no admission to attend the fair, and there are plenty of activities that don’t cost anything, Bohland said, which allows a family to attend and not spend a lot of money to make memories
The lineup of the fair events and activities remains similar from year to year with the Kiddie Parade kicking off the fair on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from the Town Hall and ending with entertainment on Saturday from 8:30-11 p.m. on the Main Stage.
In between are such favorites as the Grand Parade on Saturday at 1 p.m., the Five Miler at 6:30 p.m. Friday, nightly bingo games in the Bingo Tent, Swine Scramble at 1 p.m. Thursday and the variety of fair food from vendors and the Pemberville American Legion Auxiliary.
New this year is a Cupcake Walk from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday in front of the main stage. Everyone from children to adults can participate in the activity that combines musical chairs and a cake walk. There is music, but no missing chairs. Everyone moves in a circle until the music stops and they land on a number. A number is pulled from a bucket and whoever is standing on the number wins a box of cupcakes. Tickets to participate are 25 cents for one or five for $1. Each round requires one ticket.The game continues until all the cupcakes are gone.
Another smile maker is the return of the Tug of War. The event— impacted for two years because of the pandemic—is back and bigger than ever with co-ed teams added to the competition. Competitions are open for teams of girls 10-17 years old, boys 10-17 years old, co-ed (five boys and five girls) 10-17 years old, adult women 18-50 years old, adult men 18-50 years old and co-ed (five men and five women) 18-50 years old. Teams are weighed in from 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday a the Countyline Co-op and the competition begins at 5 p.m. in the School Valley.
The 2nd Annual Rubber Duckie Derby is at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Bohland is hoping to have 1,000 ducks racing down the Portage River from Bridge Street to the finish line at Bierley Avenue.
The Grand Parade is truly one of the highlights of the four-day free fair. For two hours, crowds line the streets to watch the floats, bands, majorette corps, drill teams, fire department vehicles, military and Shrine units, clowns, unicycle groups, equestrians, TV characters and local dignitaries.
Todd Sheets, who chairs the Grand Parade, and his committee introduced a new event prior to the Saturday parade.
“The event will gather everyone together before the extravagant parade begins.Volunteers, eager community members and excited fair attendees will line the entire parade route to showcase a ‘Mile of Smiles,’” Sheets said.
They are expecting approximately 900 smiling faces to line the mile starting at the corner of Front and Hickory streets and winding through the downtown business district, all the way down East Front Street, along Memorial Drive onto College Avenue and back to Hickory Street.
According to Sheets, participants will have fans, signs and bouncy balls to facilitate the event, and photographers and videographers will document the exciting, memorable moments in the historic affair.
There are also hundreds of exhibits of all the judged entries including cattle, goats and small animals; quilts, needlework, photography, collectibles, produce, baked goods and flowers.
For a complete listing of all the entertainment, events and activities, visit the Pemberville Free Fair website.
