Members of the Southwest Washington Fair Advisory Board, along with fair staff, visited two local elementary schools on Friday hoping to get more children involved in the fair.
Advisory board member Edna Fund, Lewis County Facilities Administrator Alex Murray, Fair and Events Manager Fiona Velazquez and Spring Youth Fair Manager Ashley Hamilton visited Napavine Elementary School and Oakview Elementary School in Centralia. They brought along advisory board member Jerry Elliott and his chicken, Miss Frizz, to engage with the elementary school students and get them excited about the Southwest Washington Fair in August.
“This has been a really fun outreach event to go to the schools,” Fund said. “The outreach committee from the fair advisory board decided we wanted to follow up after in years past visiting schools to talk about the fair. The kids are totally involved and excited for the fair.”
In previous years, the outreach to local schools had been led by Pat Slusher, who retired last year. Others stepped in to carry on the tradition with the aim of increasing engagement with youths ahead of the fair.
In addition to Napavine and Oakview, the group visited Boistfort elementary students on Monday, June 2, bringing along Ross Peterson and his two beagles. They also visited Toledo Elementary School the week before on Friday, May 30.
According to Fund, the fair sent out invitations to elementary schools in Lewis County offering to visit and speak with students about the fair. Fair officials hope more schools will get involved next summer.
During the events, the visitors brought along animals for the kids to interact with. They told the students about all the animals that are shown each summer, hoping to encourage the kids to begin showing their own animals.
Murray led a hula hooping contest, with the winners earning free tickets to the fair. Last but not least, fair officials talked with the students about registering to be considered for Little Miss Friendly, the living logo of the Southwest Washington Fair.
“We were trying to encourage them to enter the fair and we were also trying to recruit for Miss Friendly,” Fund said. “We think that by this outreach we can show kids a good time and get more kids coming to the fair.”
Little Miss Friendly is a little girl between 8 and 10 years old who is chosen each year to represent the fair during its run at the fairgrounds and at community events throughout the year.
According to Fund, applications will be available in July. After the initial applicants are narrowed down, the five finalists will be interviewed and answer questions about the fair before the 2025 Little Miss Friendly is selected on opening night of the fair. The Little Miss Friendly program started in 1968.
The Southwest Washington Fair is Aug. 12-17. Learn more at https://southwestwashingtonfair.org.
