Summertime means County Fair

| 07 Aug 2012 | 05:24

Forty-three-year old Beulah can still pose for a crowd and a watermelon treat. Photo by Gale Miko

Beulah's power wash at the fairgrounds on Thursday. Photo by Gale Miko

Chief Mike Dann, Ed Risdon and Scott Klosterhoff of Frankford Fire Department were excited to do Beulah's power wash this year. Photo by Gale Miko

Amanda Agne of Laffayette washes her sheep for the 4-H show. Smile for the camera. Photo by Gale Miko

Madeline Schafer rides in on a white horse. Photo by Chris Wyman

The midway always offers a colorful foreground to Sussex County's blue skies. PHOTO BY CHRIS WYMAN

Delaney Sandberg, Miss Wantage, greets the crowd. Photo by Warren Westura

Colleen Carney, Miss Vernon. Photo by Warren Westura

Teala Krynicki, Miss Sussex. Photo by Warren Westura

Jessie Dietz, Miss Lafayette. Photo by Warren Westura

Brigid Rosendale, Miss Hardyston. Photo by Warren Westura

Marissa De Oliveira, Miss Hamburg, was named first runner-up. Photo by Warren Westura

Kristina Garrera, Miss Franklin. Photo by Warren Westura

The fairgrounds rides glisten at night. Photo by Nicholas Ortiz

Amelia Murphy, 4, from Wantage, rests on a hay bale at the agriculture exhibit. Photo by Nicholas Ortiz

A pair of sheep get ready for the show. Photo by Nicholas Ortiz

AUGUSTA — It all starts with the popular kickoff event — when Beulah the elephant gets her power wash the day before the NJ State Fair, Sussex County Farm & Horse Show opens. Crowds always gather to see the now 43-year-old pachyderm enjoy a cooling wash down. This year Chief Mike Dann, Ed Risdon and Scott Klosterhoff of Frankford Fire Department got to do the wash on a hot Thursday. Beulah was soaped up with special elephant shampoo, groomed and inspected for the fair stay. She played Simon Says, crowd members guessed her weight (12,786 pounds) and finally, Beulah got to enjoy a watermelon.

The fair offers a variety of summertime staples. Here are just a few: Animals proudly displayed by their 4-H masters and mistresses, carnival rides and monster truck rides, game of chance, displays of horsemanship, contests for the best of almost anything one can grow or groom and of course, Queen of the Fair.

Sharon Kleindienst, Miss Stillwater, was crowned Queen of the Fair. Marissa De Oliveira, Miss Hamburg, was named first runner-up.

Straus News photographers trained their camera lenses on all aspects of the fair, day and night. Here are just some of the sights they captured. For more be sure to check out the photo albums they've posted on our Web site.

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