Since the Montgomery Country 4-H Fair is coming up this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we thought we’d dip back into our archives and see what was going on at the fair in, say, 1974.
As these photos show, some of our local “personalities” were busy at the celebrity cow-milking contest.
Shown in the photos, from left, are winner Dick Heist, who was program director of radio station WNPV (maybe it was his snappy outfit that helped him win); second-place finisher Willard Krieble, who was chief photographer for The Reporter at the time (nice pants, Bill); and Wallace S. Hendricks, who was Lansdale’s police chief and, according to the caption information published in 1974, “experienced udder failure.” Hey, at least he dressed professionally for the contest!
Ah, those were the days.
Alas, it doesn’t look like there is a cow-milking contest in the fair’s present form.
But you can still experience other fun at the 4-H Fair starting Thursday evening, which is held at the 4-H Center on Route 113, Skippack Township.
The fair runs Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., with highlights that include opening ceremonies, pony rides, horse-drawn hayrides, animal costume class, swine judging, cat show, and honoring of outstanding 4-H members.
Friday’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and events include shows of dairy animals, poultry, rabbits, pygmy goats and beef cattle, a 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy presentation, pony rides, the cooking of the World’s Largest Sausage Patty at 6 p.m., courtesy of Hatfield Quality Meats, the Daisy Jug Band at 6:30 p.m. and a baking contest.
Saturday’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and events include quilting demonstrations, an Equine Parade of Breeds, a model rocket launch at 12:15 p.m., fashion revue, pony rides and the annual pet show at 1:30 p.m., which is open to the public.
Admission to the fair is free, but there is a $5 parking donation. Sales of food and crafts are at extra cost.
A list of fair events can be found online at http://montgomery.extension.psu.edu or by calling the 4-H office at (610) 489-4315.