It's that time again … time to relax, kick back and simply enjoy the eighth annual Churchville Country Fair. The Churchville Lions Club, sponsors of the two-day Country Fair, have activities planned to ensure fun for all. The fair will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 14 and 15. A parade through the village at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday leads off the two-day festival with events such as a Pedal Tractor Pull (for children), the Garden Tractor Pull, Fleece-to-Shawl demonstration by the Flower City Spinners and the Star of the West Pie Baking Contest following at the festival site on West Buffalo Street and Park Road in Churchville. There will also be pony rides, a petting zoo, a silent auction, farm equipment show, chainsaw carving, a threshing and bailing demo and games at the Kids' Midway going on continuously on both days. Arts and crafts vendors and plenty of good food to eat augment the summer festival offerings. The Johnny Bauer Band entertains on Saturday night, followed by fireworks prepared by Young Explosives. Sunday will start out with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Churchville Lions Club on the fairgrounds followed by the Tractor Parade, and the Antique Tractor Pull. At noon the Chicken Barbecue will begin. From 2 to 5 p.m. there will be entertainment by Ciara Lynn. Lynn is an 18-year-old singer from Rochester, who has one CD out and another on the way. She sings hit songs and ballads. And on top of all this, you will have a chance to "get rich quick." There will be a $10,000 cash giveaway. To purchase raffle tickets, see your neighborhood Churchville Lion or buy them at the Country Fair Information booth. All events (except for the parade) will be held near Churchville Park at West Buffalo Street, Park Road and Park Road Extension (across from Barnard Chevrolet). Attendees should follow the signs for parking. Chairperson and current president of the Churchville Lions Club Regina Arlauckas says, "The Churchville Lions Club is pleased to be hosting the Country Fair again this year. We have been working over the past few years to expand the number of community groups participating in this event, and are excited that a few more groups have chosen to join us this year." "The fair, and all the preparation that goes into it," she says, "is a commitment by the Churchville Lions and many other members of our community to a great family and community event. We have all created something wonderful here in Churchville, and I hope to see many area residents at the fair." The Churchville Lions Club, part of Lions Clubs International, is a service organization for volunteers who want to give something back to their communities. Lions Club members are committed to building a brighter future for their community and the world, dedicating time to helping those in need and making their communities better places in which to live. They undertake projects such as building parks, playgrounds and supporting hospitals - serving wherever there is a need. Churchville Lions sponsor other community-wide events such as skating parties, races, clean-up day and a Halloween parade. Some of their other services include a medical loan closet, food pantry, emergency-support to local residents, sight and hearing programs, annual diabetes and blood pressure screening service and helping the Churchville Fire Department purchase equipment. Antique Tractor Display and Pull tests the machine muscles "On Sunday following the Pancake Breakfast at 7:30 a.m., antique pulling tractors (older than 1957) will be arriving at the grounds to begin weighing in at 9:30 a.m.," Morris says. "The popular 'Pull' by these tractors, using a weight transfer sled, starts at 11 a.m." The Pull will go on through the afternoon and is coordinated and announced by Jeanne Zielinski, Paul Trowbridge and Clem Demmin. Morris says that there are four divisions for the pull, and they are determined by what modifications have been made to them. "Division I has four different weight classes (200 additional pounds allowed for the driver) in it and is designed for beginning pullers and show tractors. These tractors have not been modified and are considered 'stock.' " "Division II tractors pull in ten different weight classes, including a "Powder Puff" class, and are near stock (minor engine modifications). Division III tractors pull in three different weight classes and have additional engine modifications, Division IV tractors will pull in four weight classes and are highly modified for power and traction." "Trophies are awarded to the participants that place in the top three positions in each weight class," Morris says. "See you all at the 'Pull!' " Bake up a winning pie to enter in Star of the West contest There is no entry fee for this contest, and all entries must be turned into the St. Vincent DePaul Church Bake Sale booth at the Fairgrounds between noon and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Entry forms, rules, pie pans and a five-pound bag of flour can be picked up at the Star of the West Milling Company on Main Street in Churchville. Three prizes will be awarded for each division: $75, $50 and $25. Following the judging and awards, the pies will be returned to the St. Vincent DePaul Church Bake Sale booth to be sold. "Everyone should get their best recipe and enter," Hunt says. There can be no cream pies or pies requiring refrigeration entered in this contest. Fleece to Shawl Linda Geiger, a member of the group, says there will be five spinners and a weaver. They will start with raw wool and spin it. Then they will weave it into colored wool on a loom. The demonstration will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday only. The shawl will be auctioned off. |
