55th Anniversary Rapides Parish Fair

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Mighty Thomas Carnival LogoThe Mighty Thomas Carnival will once again appear at the 2015 Rapides Parish Fair October 14th through 18th at the new fairgrounds on Highway 71 South in Alexandria, joining the best arts, crafts, livestock, cooking, music and more for what promises to be one of the biggest and best fairs to date!  The fair will once again enjoy the spacious new fairgrounds next to LSUA, with People Mover tram vehicles available to transport fairgoers throughout the expansive festival.  As always, admission to the fairgrounds, parking and use of the People Movers are all free and open to the public!

 

Always popular with young and old alike are the games and amusements of the midway.  This year, the Mighty Thomas Carnival will feature a brand new family roller coaster, named the “Wacky Cowboy” and welcome the return of the “Cliffhanger”, the only ride that lets customers fly through the air like Superman!  Not to be left out, young children can enjoy the Monster Trucks ride, Martian Maze and Frog Hopper attraction.  In addition to these great rides, the midway will also feature a 100 foot Fun Slide, Mini Jet, Fun Zone Fun House, Happy Face Bounce House, Starship 4000 and much, much more!

 

fairridesWith rides requiring 2, 3, 4 or 5 tickets, the midway will operate each day of the fair, starting at 4:00pm on Wednesday, October 14th, and will feature special promotions each day.  Planning ahead pays off!  Advance tickets are available at Cenla Broadcasting on Texas Avenue in Alexandria at over 50% off the single ticket price!  Get 50 tickets for just $25.00 through noon on Thursday, October 15th.  As the fair kicks off on Wednesday, October 14th, the midway will feature 1-ticket discounts on all rides.  Thursday is KRRV Date Night, featuring 2 for 1 admission with official Date Night sticker, available through KRRV and at the KRRV fairgrounds booth.  On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, enjoy extra fun for a good cause!  Each day, fairgoers who make a donation to the Food Bank of Central Louisiana will receive a $3.00 discount on unlimited ride armbands each day.  Unlimited ride band will be good Friday from 2:00pm until 7:00pm, Saturday from 11:00am until 5:00pm, and Sunday from 11:00am until 8:00pm.

 

Friday will be Senior Citizen’s Day at the Fair, featuring free lunch, door prizes, continuous entertainment, health screenings and snacks throughout the event at the State Evacuation Shelter from 8:30am to 12:30pm.  Senior citizens 60 years of age and older are eligible to participate, and all participants must have a ticket.  Tickets may be obtained at all twelve Rapides Parish Senior Citizen Centers, or by calling (318) 487-1561.  The Evacuation Shelter will also play host to the Fair’s Arts and Crafts exhibits  and Barnyard Nursery. The 4-H & FFA livestock shows will be held at Dewitt Livestock Facility right next to the Evacuation Shelter

 

sidemen-fair-webThursday, Friday and Saturday, the fair will present live, free musical entertainment on the Louisiana Lottery Stage!  In addition to the great entertainment, there will be a brand new Open Fire Dutch Oven Cooking Contest at the Rapides Parish Fair on Saturday, October 17th. Teams consist of 3 participants per $50.00 entry fee. Contestants must prepare a main dish, a dessert and a bread (3 pot format). The contest is open to everyone. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams. Everyone may begin setting up the designated area from 5:00am to 7:00am. Fair goers will have the opportunity to sample after contest.  The Dutch Oven Cooking Contest is sponsored by the Deville/Koline Knights of Columbus Council 13296.

 

fair-webOf course, no fair would be complete without the various exhibitions and competitions held throughout the week.  Participants of all ages will show their best arts and crafts, photography, clothing, fruits, vegetables, livestock, baked goods, recipes and much more in addition to the 4-H and FFA livestock competitions!  On Saturday, the fair will play host to the Rapides Parish Pet and Dog Show.  Pet Show contestants will be competing for trophies and ribbons in categories including: Cutest Pet, Best All Around Pet, Most Unusual Pet, Best Groomed Pet, Most Lovable Pet, Biggest Pet, Smallest Pet and Best Behaved Pet.   There will be two divisions for the Dog Show: 4-H and non-4-H.

 

Don’t miss all the fun and excitement.  For more information, visit the Rapides Parish Fair on the web at www.therapidesparishfair.com.