Photo by Christopher Dacanay Haley Brockway, 6, wears a silly hat and a colorful bowtie while assisting the Funny Balloon Guy with his magic tricks during a show in front of the Jefferson County Fair’s Commercial Exhibit Building.

SMITHFIELD — There’s something new to do and see around every corner at the 152nd Jefferson County Fair at 1505 Friendship Park Road, and the fun isn’t over yet.

The fair, which has the theme “Respecting our roots, planting for our future,” officially opened Monday. Rides, food and entertainment will continue until Sunday, so it’s not too late to go.

A quick ride in the back of a wooden wagon pulled by a farm tractor brought fairgoers from the parking lot into the middle of the fairgrounds, surrounded by the action.

Riding the tractor into the fair with her mother was Sophia Trefney, 3, who said she was most excited to ride the “Dragon” kids’ rollercoaster this year, as she was too short to do so last year.

Three times throughout the day, shows by the Funny Balloon Guy could be seen in front of the Commercial Exhibit Building. The Funny Balloon guys performed magic tricks infused with humorous goofs and gags, complete with audience participation.

A recurring gag in the show was when the Funny Balloon Guy misheard audience members’ names. Haley Brockway, 6, said that the Funny Balloon Guy misheard her name as “you hate me” and her stating her age as “I’m sick” instead of “I’m six.” Brockway was made to wear a funny hat and large bowtie as she assisted with the Funny Balloon Guy’s magic tricks.

Also having shows was Mr. Puppet, whose comedic interactions with various puppets with attitude made kids laugh. One such puppet was Stinky the opossum, who Mr. Puppet said was “wild, ferocious and crazy.”

Joe and Suzan Kovaleski, owners of Buena Vista Honey Farms, sold honey products made by their own bees. Products included pure honey, pure beeswax candles, honey candy and honey sticks.

Joe Kovaleski said they have been beekeeping for 30 years and began selling their honey products at the fair 22 years ago. With the Kovaleskis at their table was an “observation hive” with live bees in it, which Joe Kovaleski said allows curious onlookers to see what honeybees look like.

Three different types of honey were sold and offered in taste tests, each type having a different taste and color based on the season it was created in and the type of flowers the bees were eating from.

Belinda Boyce, a member of the board of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau, offered information on the bureau, as well as a chance for kids to milk a wooden cow and receive a sticker.

Boyce said agriculture is the primary industry in Ohio, so she was tabling “for membership and to show people what you can do with agriculture.

Sylvie Sudvary, 5, said it was “really exciting” to milk the faux cow. Her mother, Jessica Sudvary, said the family has a horse and goats at home, but those animals are not to be milked, so the cow milking was a special opportunity.

Charles Cleaver showed off a collection of toy tractors that he has amassed with help from his wife Sharon Cleaver and daughter Wanda Cleaver. Toys on display included pedal tractors and scaled-down models.

The replica of the oldest piece of machinery is a model hay loader, about which Cleaver said, “A piece like that in history can go back maybe 80 to 100 years.”

At the Junior Fair Board Building were dozens of decorated booths created by different Junior Fair groups, a yearly tradition. A new booth addition noted by Bonnie Randolph, Junior Fair coordinator, was one created by Allison Bell, 2022 Fair Queen. The new booth, Randolph said, highlights previous fair royalty, and Bell hopes the new tradition sticks.

One participant in the Junior Fair activities was Maddie Granatir, who on Thursday was practicing for Friday’s draft horse showing, when she would show a horse named Liberty.

Granatir said of participating in 4-H showings, “I like the people I’m around — their attitude, friendliness, helpfulness. You make good friends showing horses.”

One major destination for the fair was the midway, with its various rides, games and food.

Cheryl Mencer, owner of the All-American Burger Co. trailer, cooked up burgers made with locally sourced ground beef. Mencer said this is the company’s third year in existence and first year at the fair, which has gotten them plenty of business.

“We do quality and big portions,” Mencer said, adding later that a portion of the company’s proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Cheryl Lisko-Petrovich of Lisko Family Amusements worked at a stand selling cheesesteaks, which she said have gained a loyal following of fans “from Georgia to here.” Lisko-Petrovich said the amusements company is multi-generational, with seven kids and 24 grandkids of the original owners pitching in.

Antonietta LaRocca sold strombolis and cavatelli for Pasquale LaRocca Concessions, along with her sons Pasquale and Frank LaRocca. Antonietta LaRocca said the business, which has been going on for 27 years, was Pasquale LaRocca’s idea, but it became a “family affair” when the others helped.

A plastic caricature cutout depicting Antonietta LaRocca stood outside the trailer to welcome customers. Antonietta LaRocca said of the fair, which they have been vending at since the business began, “Beautiful people, beautiful community.”

Jeff Sickle and his wife Davine ran a stand selling deep friend cookies, of which Jeff Sickle said the deep-fried cookies and cream are his favorite. Sickle said the stand, which was started by his parents in 1985, has been coming to this fair for 23 years.

Other vendors sold all kinds of wares, and among the vendors was Ferguson Tack and Supply, owned by Blair and Donna Ferguson, who were joined by their toy Australian shepherd, Marley. Donna Ferguson said this is the first year coming to the fair for the business, which has been operating for more than 30 years selling horse supplies, with a physical location in Lisbon.

Donna Ferguson said of their first year vending at the fair, “It’s exciting, everybody is friendly — everybody is having fun.”

Keeping everyone safe during the fair was the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. Representing the office was Sgt. Lenny Tharp, corrections officer, who showed off the office’s gear and fingerprinted willing individuals as part of the office’s community outreach program.

Additionally, members of various fire and EMS departments stood ready to help wherever they were needed.

Fire Chief Brandon Montgomery of the Mingo Junction Fire and EMS Department, said his department has been at the fair since Sunday, with staff rotating shifts to provide constant coverage. Montgomery said other departments at the fair came from Smithfield, Unionport, Toronto and New Alexandria.

The department covers first aid for people and even animals, Montgomery said, adding that first responders once helped a chicken that had something stuck in its eye.

“The biggest thing for us is to make sure everyone’s taken care of,” Montgomery said, “and to make sure everyone has a fun and safe week.”

Scheduled entertainment for the rest of the fair includes transfer sled antique tractor, farm stock and truck pulls on Saturday; and a home talent demolition derby on Sunday.