Tilt-a-whirls, ferris wheels, bumper cars and carousels are returning to this year’s Pike County Fair after organizers, who were forced to put on a fair with no midway last year, reached a deal with a new carnival promoter.
Last year’s event had no midway because fair organizers were not able to renew a contract with Mitchell Bros. & Sons Amusement of Slidell, La., the company that had provided fair rides for years.
Dubbed the Pike County Farm and Family Festival, the ag-centric event featured plenty in the way of livestock shows and exhibits, but it wasn’t enough to draw the crowds seen in previous years.
“Since this past September, members of the Pike County Livestock and Fair Association Board of Directors have been diligently working to contact reputable carnival contractors in efforts to again include a high-quality carnival in our annual fair,” the fair association’s board of directors wrote in a letter dated Friday. “The board met recently and approved entering into contract with a new carnival contractor for the 2017 Pike County Fair.”
They did not name the contractor.
The fair also will be slightly later than in years past, from Tuesday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 30.
Organizers promise “a family-friendly venue, complete with carnival rides, attractions and food booths typically expected to be found at a county fair. “
That doesn’t mean the farm and family festival is going anywhere, though. Most of the farm-oriented events will be held on the Friday and Saturday of the fair, organizers noted.
“More details about these activities will be forthcoming as plans are further developed in the coming months,” they wrote in the letter.
“The Pike County Livestock and Fair Association Board takes great pride in providing a venue and leadership for many activities from which citizens of Pike County and surrounding areas benefit throughout the year,” the letter continued. “The fair each September is our greatest effort to provide a fun event for families in our area to enjoy in addition to attracting many visitors from our region to generate support of area businesses and showcase many valuable resources found throughout Southwest Mississippi.
