Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
It all hinges on Debbie Niehenke’s weather order.
The Colton/Uniontown Fair Financial Manager, in her 12th year, always makes sure to get that in well ahead of time for the annual event, set for Friday, May 1.
“We’re looking forward to a nice 60 degrees mark,” Niehenke said.
The reason she didn’t go higher is that spectators will have to walk further from their cars this year as a result of the Colton school construction project – which will impact the 2015 Fair in several ways.
“The newest feature is, ‘Have you seen our school?’” said Niehenke. “It’s going to be very interesting.”
Events this year will be held mainly in the school’s new and old agriculture shops. The old building will have the swine, sheep and goat fitting and showing, along with market classes, making for an indoor event. The school’s new agriculture building will host home arts and educational displays, small animals and concessions.
Dogs will be shown out on the old city tennis courts with horses in the student parking lot.
Beef will again be housed in the bus garage while the showing arena will be moved to the adjacent asphalt parking lot, instead of the grass area near the front of the school which is now part of the construction zone.
This year more small animal entries will allow for a round robin for cats, poultry, rabbits and dogs. The format has not been used since 2010.
For large animals, a top showman will be crowned for beef, horses, swine and sheep.
The day’s competitors will arrive from FFA and 4H clubs in Pullman, Albion, Garfield, Colfax and Colton-Uniontown. The contests act as a warm-up for next week’s Spokane Stock Show.
Unaffected by construction, the Colton school’s greenhouse will again hold the annual FFA plant sale during the fair. Nathan Moore’s horticulture students have been preparing all semester for the sale.
Available for buyers will be vegetable starts, decorative grasses, hanging baskets, perennials and annuals.
“They have geraniums in colors I’ve never seen before,” Niehenke said.
While some elements of the fair will be in different locations this year, only one feature, the petting zoo, has been dropped because of the space limitations.
For the first time in many years the Catholic Daughters and their husbands will not staff the concession stand.
Student body officers and Whitney Smith, the superintendent’s wife, will be at the stand.
“I do know they have requested to have the same burger flippers,” said Niehenke, referring to Catholic Daughters’ husbands. “So you should get the same quality.”
Overall, the Colton-Uniontown Fair will go on this year despite a lot of changes.
“We didn’t want to relocate,” said Niehenke. “That’s not who we are. That’s not our history. We’re supposed to be on the school grounds.”
Opening ceremonies begin at 7:45 a.m. in the old ag. shop with the Large Animal Round Robin as the day’s final event, starting at 3 p.m.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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