PRAIRIE GROVE -- Three groups come together each year to ensure the annual Clothesline Fair is another successful event for the community.
Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park is the venue and park staff prepare the grounds and make sure everything runs smoothly. Prairie Grove Lions Club is in charge of all concessions and organizes the square dancing each year. Arts Center of the Ozarks sponsors the arts and crafts portion of the fair.
This year, the Clothesline Fair celebrates its 64th year of providing a fun weekend for thousands of people. Last year, an estimated 37,000 people came to the fair, including record numbers who showed up to watch square dance groups perform.
The 2015 fair opens at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park and continues through Labor Day. It concludes with the finals of the square dance competition, starting at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5.
"This is just a huge community event," said Jessee Cox, superintendent of Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. "It brings everybody together."
Prairie Grove Lions Club started the Clothesline Fair in 1951, contracting the arts and crafts portion of the community event out to the former Council of Ozark Artists and Crafts, now called Arts Center of the Ozarks.
Last year, about 125 vendors set up craft booths in the state park and the Arts Center is expecting about the same, possibly more, for the 64th Clothesline Fair.
Prairie Grove Lions Club has 25 members and the Clothesline Fair would not be possible without the community, said Craig Battles, secretary-treasurer.
"Without the community, we couldn't pull this off," Battles said. "It takes more than 25 people."
The fair is the Lions Club's only fundraiser and last year, it donated almost $8,000 to Prairie Grove school groups from concession proceeds. The Lions Club sponsors several concession stands and pays student groups to work those areas. It also provides opportunities for other community non-profit groups to come in and open concession stands. This year some of those groups include local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Prairie Grove Band Boosters, American Legion, Junior Civic League, FFA and the Masons.
Looking at all the groups and students, Battles laughed that probably more people in town are involved, instead of people not involved. Guessing, he says hundreds will help throughout the weekend, including students, parents and school teachers and other staff.
"This is what is neat about it," Battles said. "It is a community tradition. We've brought people into the tradition, instead of outgoing the tradition. It does take the whole community. The Lions Club is thankful for all the support we get. We also appreciate the Arts Center and all they do."
Square dancing is as much a part of the Clothesline Fair as the arts and crafts booths and the fair concessions. Dancing kicks off at the amphitheater at 2:30 p.m. Saturday with younger children and their exhibition square dances. Teenagers take the stage at 7 p.m., hoping to win the coveted first place award for competition square dancing. All groups will dance again starting at 2:30 p.m. Monday, with winners being announced at the end of the evening.
The grassy hillside in front of the amphitheater stage will be filled with parents, grandparents, friends and others just coming to enjoy the festivities, so visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the music and watch the groups.
Battles, who organizes the square dancing for the fair, said participants are up this year. In all, 75 groups have registered to square dance: 13 competitive groups and 62 exhibition groups. Cash prizes are awarded to the top four competition groups. First place receives $400, second place $300, third place $200 and fourth place $100.
General News on 09/02/2015