A treasure of pleasures
itate Fair boasts family-oriented ran package
Two young children enjoy exhibits end livestock shows a
... cow remained content even when boy sat on her back
By CINDY HAGA "
"A Treasure of Pleasures," the theme of this
year's state fair in Raleigh, relates the idea of the
fair as a family-oriented fun package.
It's not so much the rides and the games that
draw crowds to Raleigh, though: the exhibits are
what get so many people excited at this fair.
.Crafts exhibits, of canned peaches, jack-o-lan-terns,
and blankets,' intrigue those who just like to
look at different types of creativity. But they also
interest those who like to compare the ingenuity of
others' work with that of their own.
- "The number of entries is just amazing in craft
competitions," said Jim Knight a N.C. public in
formation officer. Last year, there were over 800 in
handicrafts alone. "
The fair's Village of Yesteryear gives beginners a
chance to view skilled craftwork and to ask ques
tions of the N.C. professional craftsmen who man
their own booths for the length of the fair.
A good chance for collecting both free informa
tion and free samples is provided by the commod
ity groups exhibits, where rows of tables offer
millions of pamphlets, slide shows, and munchies.
"A Carousel of Skills," displayed in a geodesic,
(multi-sided) dome by the N.C Dept. of Education,
is another arena of knowledge.
The dome, run by public school children from
across the state, covers vocational agriculture,
trade and industrial education, marketing and dis
tribution, home economics, health occupations,
industrial arts, and pre-vocational education.
Also featured in the dome is a futures arena; on
i. a a I . . L
display nere are tecnniques anu instruments, mm.ii
as computers, that will be used in future jobs.
The faiefs agricultural exhibits offer on-the-spot
rewards to competitors it seems that this is where
the real money from the fair is. .
Even with the tremendous number of entries
for example, 400 goats competed last year
Knight said the N.C. state fair is completely self
supporting, with prize money coming either from
entry fees or gate proceeds. '
The prize money is awarded to those entering
cattle, poultry, vegetables, sheep, goats, bees and
honey, and rabbits.
Knight said there is over $20,000 in prize money
just for hog competitions; what else could be ex
pected for hogs with such brands as Berkshire,
Hampshire, and Yorkshire?
" Cindy Haga is a staff writer for The Daily Tar
KeeL -".: -
V
By JOSEPH O LI NICK
Have you ever worried about how
safe the wild and crazy rides at the
North Carolina State Fair are? Well,
there is no reason to worry.
Inspectors from the elevator division
of the North Carolina Department of
Labor inspect every ride at the State
Fair, and the inspection is very thorough.
"When the 11 5th State Fair opens ...
each of the more than 50 rides will have
endured a stringent inspection," said
Jim Codwin, in charge of amusement
ride inspections for the NCLD.
"Each ride is inspected as it is as
sembled," he said. "Each ride is moni
tored daily before the midway opens at
10 a.m."
The stringent inspections have evi
dently paid off.
"Over the years, we've never had a
fatal accident to a rider or an amuse
ment ride at the fair," Codwin said.
"We had remarkable few accidents
last year. It's hard to say why when you
have so many people and so many
rides. We didn't have to send anybody
to the hospital." '
Goodwin added that there were a few
bumped heads and other very minor in
juries at last year's fair.
The Labor Department's 12 inspec
tors are a big reason there have never
been any amusement ride fatalities in
North Carolina, Godwin said.
Amusement ride accidents are "caused
insured by i
nsDecfiom
ft "
by the action or lack of action by the
rider," Godwin said.
Godwin gave the following safety
precautions for rides:
Fol low the operator's instructions.
Make sure restraints are fastened
properly.
Do not ride on a ride if you are too
big or, small for it
Keep your arms and legs inside the
ride.
If you are pregnant wait till next
year.
"The bottom line for having another
safe State Fair is, as it is always is, the
good judgment and common sense of
fairgoers," Godwin said. "We expect it
to be a great fair."
"We try to make sure people can real
ly enjoy the State Fair by assuring the
rider's safety," said Ginny Lawler, of
NCDL's public relations department'
Godwin said owners and operators of
the rides were very responsible and
careful. Running a ride haphazardly or
having an accident occur would be very
detrimental to their business and lively
hood. -
The amusement rides can be set up
overnight but in Raleigh they have
been setting up the rides since Monday.
The rides are being cleaned, painted,
and checked for mechanical problems,
' Godwin said.
Joseph Olinick is a staff writer for The
Daily Tar Heel.
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Tho psrstroopsr is ona of msny ridos at tho State Fair
... officials inspect the rides before the Fair opens
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