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Good weather helps attract a good crowd

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By Bridgette Outten, Staff Writer Updated 10:10 PM Friday, July 24, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — There’s nothing that smells quite like the first day of the Clark County Fair.

Scents of popcorn, cotton candy, pizza, corn and just about any other food imaginable wafted over the opening day Friday, July 24.

Hundreds of children prepared for competition with their various goats, horses, poultry, swine, rabbits, dogs and steer in tow, creating the earthy animal redolence that conjures up days on the farm.

For the veteran competitors, it was business as usual, but 20-month-old Zoey Myers is a first-timer. With her granddad’s help, Zoey showed her 230-pound oinker.

“I thought she did great,” said Randy Myers. “She tried to keep up with it, but it was just too fast for her. She’ll do better next year.”

Others setting up for the fair were a little more seasoned: Autumn Rodgers, 12, and her sister Haley, 7, are in their third and second years showing, respectively.

Haley proclaimed herself “excited but tired,” while her dad PJ Rodgers added, “It’s a lot of work getting ready.”

And there are still more folks who show up at the fair for one thing and one thing only: the eats.

This year was 1-year-old Mackenzie Carmin’s first time partaking of the vittles — with her family that always comes for the food — said her mom, Amanda Carmin.

Whatever the reason for the coming out, Clark County Fair officials expect 85,000 to 90,000 people to attend this week, said Public Relations Coordinator Andrea Maxson.

“So far it’s been really good,” she said Friday. “Good weather, good crowd.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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