If you're looking for an ag-venturistic week, then don't miss the 1999 Great Frederick Fair as an ag-venture awaits everyone who attends the 137th annual event.
    Exciting, new and innovative programs are in store for every fairgoer as this year's fair focuses on Ag-Venture...Exploring New Horizons in Agriculture, September 17-25.
    "We have a new educational program that we believe students, families, youngsters and the typical fairgoer will enjoy doing with our Ag-Venture Passport Educational Program," said fair board President Maurice Gladhill. The fair will be distributing 25,000 copies of the Ag-Venture Passport Educational Programs which will feature 10 stations throughout the grounds. A map inside the passport assists fairgoers where to find the 10 stations. The passports have information to answer questions at each of the 10 stations, and stickers are included in the passport to paste on the correct corresponding page. At each station there will be a self-inking stamp that is to be used on the validation page of the passport to prove that the station was visited. Once the validation page is stamped from each of the 10 stations, the participant is to drop off that page, with the completed information, at the City Streets, Country Roads Exhibit by 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. A drawing of some special prizes will be conducted at 7 p.m. from the exhibit.
    "This is really a neat program to get the public around the fairgrounds for them to see how agriculture touches their lives each and every day, and most people don't realize what a vital industry agriculture is," Mr. Gladhill continued.
    "Out of all of this have developed and strengthened partnerships within the community between the fair, educators, business and industry," he said. "The public school system has embraced this program so much that the curriculum specialists have written pre and post lesson plans for fourth through sixth grade students in the public school system. We are so excited and pleased. The support that the fair has also received from the Schools-to-Careers Program, the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, the Board of Frederick County Commissioners, and our other sponsors...the University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Kiplinger Foundation and The Frederick News-Post is really quite impressive."
    Mr. Gladhill said that the educational program really fits in well with the fair's purpose, and that is to expand agriculture education. "That is our thrust. That is our purpose."
    "The passports are really sharp and they will really get the public's attention. We believe that young and old alike will take part in this program," he added. The passports will be distributed to students in the county's public schools fourth through sixth grades in September. Others wanting copies can get them during fair week from the fair's three Visitor's Centers; the City Streets, Country Roads Exhibit; and other prominent locations on the grounds. The program will also be featured on the fair's website as a hands-on activity.
    Another new and innovative program being featured at the fair is the Ag Careers Fair. This is a one-day event with lots of educational and resource value. The Ag Careers Fair is a project of the Frederick County Ag Task Force, and will be held from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, in conjunction with the AgriScience Field Day. It will be held in the exhibition tent next to the Beef Barns.
    "We want the students as well as the public to benefit from the Ag Careers Fair," said Richard Grossnickle, chairman of the Ag Task Force. Numerous exhibits will depict the ag career paths students may select for their future. "People just don't realize what careers are connected to agriculture and natural resources. We hope we can make the careers fair an annual part of the county fair."
    The Great Frederick's New It's Fiber-Optics Exhibit promises to be another Ag-Venture for fair goers. This first-time exhibit will showcase sheep and wool displays, grand-champion 4-H market lamb and the supreme champion ewes and rams. Other educational programs and hands-on activities will also be featured in this exhibit housed next to the sheep barns. Be sure to stop by.
    Not only will you want to ag-venture these New and ag-citing programs, you'll also want to explore our other educational programs going on all week. A special program called the LengenDairy Celebration,  in conjunction with the Fair's milking facility  was introduced last year. Make sure you don't miss the Milky Way! "We really encourage our fair goers to stop by the Milky Way to take a few minutes and see what we've got in there. I think most will be pleased," Gladhill said.

This page was last updated Sept. 14, 1999.