South Central Fair Celebrates 104th Annual Exhibition 

The 2014 South Central Fair celebrated 104 years on October 7th-11th at the Chase City fair grounds. This year’s celebration included rides provided by Cole Amusement Company, along with a variety of entertainment each night.

The South Central Fair opened Tuesday and produced some stellar acts throughout the week to enthrall the fair-goers.  Opening night included a lawn mower pull and a special “meet and greet” with the stars of the hit television show “Moonshiners.”  Fast forward to Wednesday as the sounds of “ARISE,” a contemporary Christian pop/rock group based out of Clarksville, Va., filled the air with their joyous sounds.  On Thursday, local gospel groups had the opportunity to take to the stage and share their talents.  However, Friday and Saturday were dedicated to an all-time crowd favorite, “The Demolitian Derby,” presented by Stoney Roberts Promotions.

Something new this year for the South Central Fair was the incorporation of “Hansen’s Spectacular Acrobatic Sensations.”  The Hansens, a family of five from Sarasota, Florida, provided breath-taking 30-minute acrobatic shows all week long, twice a day.  The show kicked off with a high-speed juggling display by Shane Hansen, then moved into an impressive hula-hoop performance by his eight-year-old daughter Madison.  The entire 30-minute spectacle kept fans on the edge of their seats, especially the grand finale.  For the finale, Alecia Michelle performed over 30 feet in the air on the aerial cloud swing.  Spectators gasped and held their breaths as Alecia Michelle effortlessly glided through the air, executing gravity-defying moves.

In addition to the wide range of entertainment at the 2014 South Central Fair, no carnival would be complete without the food!  The aroma of pizza, funnel cakes, cotton candy and smoked sausages filled the air, adding to the atmosphere of the occasion.

In addition to the shows and rides, the Industrial Arts Building, Agriculture Building and Education Building featured everything from merchants selling their products, to locally grown fruit and vegetables and school displays.

According to the South Central Fair Website, “The County Fair began in the early 1900’s when area farmers in Mecklenburg County gathered to determine who had ‘bragging rights’ to the largest livestock, and home-grown vegetables. This has become the Mecklenburg County Fair, and was held on the lawn of the Mecklenburg hotel. In 1912 the present site was secured and the construction of buildings soon began. The fair expanded in 1927 to include Charlotte and Lunenburg Counties and was known as the ‘Tri-County Fair.’ In 1959 it gained its present name of South Central Fair including Brunswick County with attendance gaining momentum. People arrive at the fair from all areas of Virginia and neighboring states.”

To this day, the South Central Fair currently serves residents from all surrounding counties with a fun, family oriented festival atmosphere.