The Herald-News - News Story

    County fairs bring together rural life, lively entertainment and tasty treats to create a unique time for family and friends to enjoy each other's company.
    The Rhea County Fair is making a comeback this year and is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at the new and improved Ag Center grounds in Evensville on Eagle Lane.
    New to the fair this year will be the East Tennessee Lawn Mower Racing Association, which will be hosting its first points race for the 2009 season at the fair. ETLMRA will be conducting an exhibition on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. with the points race on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
    The races themselves have a point system similar to NASCAR racing, said Rodney Peeler, president of ETLMRA.
    ETLMRA is a family-based, nonprofit organization, and according to its website, they do not race for money, but for trophies, bragging rights and the occasional piece of lawn furniture.
    "It's popular everywhere," said Peeler. "I've been as far south as central Florida, as far east as North Carolina, as far west as Texas and as far north as Wisconsin."
    Peeler said anyone in Rhea County can join in the races if he or she is a member of USLMRA. Additionally, a technical inspector must approve every mower for racing in order to qualify. A mower cannot race with blades attached and must be equipped with an engine safety cut-off switch.
    Drivers can be as young as 7, said Peeler, and this race should have seven different classes of racing.
    "My 10-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son race mowers too," Peeler said.
    Peeler added that, despite the fact that mowers can reach speeds up to 60 miles-per-hour, mower racing still has one of the highest safety records of any kind of vehicle racing around.
    Mower racing won't be the only activity offered at the county fair this year. The "Fairest of the Fair Contest" will kick off the fair on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. The two divisions will be Junior Fairest of the Fair (ages 13-15) and Fairest of the Fair (ages 16-20). Each contestant will compete for winner, first runner-up, second runner-up, Miss Photogenic and Miss Congeniality.
    The fair gates should open up again on Thursday, Sept. 18, which should be family night with half-priced tickets. The fair will feature a 4-H poultry show and gospel music from The Hickeys of Rising Fawn, Ga. Also available will be inflatable toys, youth exhibits, craft vendors and concessions, all of which will be open throughout the weekend.
    Friday will feature a 4-H Sheep Show, a Pee Wee Sheep Show and Red Hat Society Entertainment. The Mr. and Miss Rhea County pageant will be hosted on the main stage at on the fair grounds as well. The pageant should have eight different categories, each with six categories of prizes.
    On Saturday, the Mr. and Miss Rhea County pageant will continue on the main stage in addition to a Pee Wee Tractor Pull, United Way "Patty Drop," a cattle show and a tractor show. The first annual Rhea County Bluegrass Festival will highlight the day's activities from 1 p.m. through 6 p.m. It will include artists such as Big Woods Band, Straight Ahead Band, Coalition Band, Cumberland Band with Tiffany Rogers, Lookout Mountain Boys and Barren County. The Lanny Mauldin Chili Cook-off will also be held on Saturday, with judging at noon.
    Daily admission for the fair will be $4 for adults, $2 for children ages 4-12 and free for children ages 3 and under. Pets and alcoholic beverages will not be permitted, and fair visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
    For more information, visit the fair website at www.rheacountyagday.com.
    Michelle Friesen can be reached at michelle.friesen@rheaheraldnews.com.