Board learns sponsorship receipts rise

CELINA - The Mercer County Fair Board has reached a sponsorship level of $89,920 - just shy of the $90,000 budgeted, and up $9,000 from this time last year, fair manager Cara Muhlenkamp said.

"We have sold 65 percent of available concert tickets," she told board members at Tuesday's meeting. "Although we were at 69 percent of tickets sold for the 2016 concert, at this time last year, we have sold 3 percent in about 24 hours."

If that rate continues, the board can expect a high sell rate by the time of the concert. The two-act concert, which starts at 8 p.m. Aug. 11, includes country music entertainers of the year, Brothers Osborne, as well as Granger Smith, featuring Earl Dibbles Jr.

Public speaker and foodie Father Leo Patalinghug will provide a program, entitled "Grace Before Meals," including a cooking demonstration at 8 p.m. Aug. 13 in the grandstand, Muhlenkamp said. Area clergy will taste test the food he prepares. Cooking pots and pans used in the demonstration are being donated by a Lima manufacturer, which is also providing additional cooking utensils and pans as door prizes.

Patrons may begin setting up lawn chairs at the grandstand and on the track beginning at 6 p.m. The presentation is free of charge after entry into the fair and emphasizes the importance of family dining. Video screens and a videographer's services also are being donated for the event, Muhlenkamp said.

The Mercer County Fair and the Mercer County Sheriff's Office will have a zero-tolerance policy for underage alcohol consumption at the fair, Muhlenkamp noted. Offenders face possibly losing livestock show and auction privileges as well as being escorted out of the fair and not being allowed to return, according to a letter Muhlenkamp wrote, which will be read in each of the livestock departments.

"Please make good choices and enjoy the next seven days of the fair," Muhlenkamp wrote as the closing sentence.

Glen Florence displayed and demonstrated one of 21 rocking chairs for which he raised funds. Each chair, which was made of permanent material and produced by Backyard Furniture, will have a brass plaque noting the donor's name. Florence began with a goal of providing 10 chairs, but his efforts reached 21 donors. The chairs will be placed throughout the grounds during the fair.

Board members passed a motion to provide $350 toward the purchase of a pie at the pie auction and $350 toward the purchase of an animal or animals during the junior fair livestock auction.