It’s fair time again in Washington Parish and everyone is excited about the opening of the fair, Tuesday, Oct. 20. Looking back 50 years to the opening of the fair should bring back a few memories, especially for those of you who have been fairgoers for as long as you care to remember.

Here is an article published in the Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1959 issue of the Bogalusa Daily News.

Washington Parish Fair Opens Tomorrow

(Use arrows above to view more photos) Advertisement

Throngs Expected First Day

Washington Parish watched the skies and the weather reports today, hoping that the clouds which have hovered over the parish yesterday and today will pass over in time for the opening of the Washington Parish Free Fair in Franklinton tomorrow morning.

Hopeful reports  that the cold front which has brought clouds and rain to the parish has already passed and the skies may be completely clear by the end of the day.

The Fair will open with a parade through Franklinton at 9:30 a.m. and opening ceremonies at 10:30 a.m., but even before then there will be activity at the Fairgrounds. Livestock judges will start touring the stock barns at 9 a.m., while at the same time the Better Baby Show will start.

The parade, sponsored by the Franklinton Wom

en’s Club, will end at the Fair stage, where the Rev. M. D. Felder, pastor of Franklinton’s Centenary Methodist Church, will open the Fair with the invocation. An Explorer Scout honor guard will advance and the National Anthem will be sung.

First stage contest, at 11:30 a.m., will be the traditional Old Fiddlers Contest, directed by L.E. Pigott. For the second year, Washington Parish pastors will conduct an interdenominational service at noon, with the Rev. D. W. Poole, superintendent of the Baton Rouge District of the Methodist Church, as guest speaker.

After a concert by the Southeastern Louisiana College Green and Gold band, the free acts will make their first appearance at 2 p.m., to appear every afternoon and evening throughout the Fair. The acts include Peyton and Raye and their trained dogs; the Noble Trio, acrobats; Ginger and her Puppetones; Miss Debbie, billed as the world’s greatest lady foot juggler; Los Iitados, a novelty dance act; and the Les Bon Toupe acrobats who balance on unsupported ladders.

Tomorrow will be Governor’s Day, and four gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to appear on the Fairgrounds stage at 2:45 p.m., introduced by City Judge A. J. Jones of Bogalusa. The candidates who have accepted invitations to speak are William H. Dodd, deLesseps S. Morrison, Jimmy Noe and Willie Rainach.

Two sets of prizes are to be awarded tomorrow evening. At 6:45, parade winners will be announced, and at 7:45 judges will reveal the winners of the Baby Contest. At 7:50 the stage program will close, as Bert Stevenson of the Franklinton Rotary Club introduces the masked Mystery Man, who will be unveiled Friday night.