By Caroline Stephenson

Correspondent

AHOSKIE – Following a one year hiatis, one of North Carolina’s oldest fairs is back.

“Freshness From Our Heritage” is the theme of the upcoming 93rd annual Atlantic District Fair. James Peele, President of the Atlantic District Fair Association, announced that the dates of this year’s fair are Tuesday, Sept. 24 through Saturday, Sept. 28. The fair is located in the Ahoskie Historic District on Holloman Avenue next to the former Robert L. Vann School.

The Atlantic District Fair is proud to continue a long tradition of excellence and will feature educational exhibits by local agencies, businesses, churches, schools, and other organizations.  Also on the slate are Educational Day, Senior Citizen’s Day, concessions, rides, horse harness racing, and displayed entries of locally grown crops, produce, and a variety of homemade and handmade goods, arts and crafts.

“We are looking for a wide variety and diversity of unique entries,” Peele stated.

Individuals and youth can enter such items as home canned goods, cakes, candies, breads, pies, dried foods, decorative plants and flowers, field crops, artwork, photographs, needlework, and sewing just to name a few. All entries must have been made this year and be home grown, homemade and/or handmade.  Small cash prizes are awarded to best in show.

For questions regarding entries or for more information, contact Peele at (252) 287-7466.

The gates will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 20-21), from 2-6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22 and from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23 for receiving and processing educational exhibits.

Exhibit judging will be held beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Also on that day, concessions and the ExhibitBuilding will open at 3 p.m. and rides in the midway area will open at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 is Educational Day and all students can enter free of charge until 6 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26 is Senior Citizen’s Day and all seniors are admitted free until 6 p.m.  Harness horse races will be held that day at 3 p.m.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 and at 12 noon on Saturday, Sept. 28. Harness horse races will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The Atlantic District Fair Association is partnering again this year with Hertford County Cooperative Extension staff who are providing logistical assistance as well as judging expertise.

The Atlantic District Fair Association was organized in 1919 and incorporated in 1920.  The by-laws stipulated, “The object of the association shall be to promote the Agricultural, Industrial, Educational, and Moral development of the people.”

In 1947, a 500-seat brick and masonry grandstand and two-story exhibit building were built to replace an earlier wooden structure that was destroyed by fire.

The Atlantic District Fair was canceled last year due to making necessary renovations at the historic, but aging, fairgrounds.