representatives of  Tri-State Exhibition Center to form the Foothills Country Fair committee. Proceeds from the fair are used by the Ruritan Clubs to fund their community-service projects which primarily involve assisting citizens in need. This year an extra Ruritan Club joined the all-volunteer team which now include Black Fox, Charleston, Cherokee Too, Flint Springs, Harrison,

McDonald, North Lee, Oak Grove, Valley View and Westside.

"The fair will have everything we had last year but will be bigger and more of it," said Foothills Country Fair President, Louie Alford. He said that not only will there be an extra day added but there will also be more rides at the carnival, more side shows and probably more cultural arts exhibits.

New events scheduled for the 2005 Foothills Country Fair will include a 4H Steer show to be held on the Tuesday before the fair on April 26th, and during the fair 4H Horse Shows, a Poultry contest and Pals Pet Show. A Lawn and Garden Tractor Pull and an ATV Pull have also been added to this year's events. There will also be a carnival, cultural arts and crafts

exhibits, hand-crafted items for sale, commercial displays and merchandise, demonstrations, live music entertainment, a beauty pageant and a wide variety of different foods.

Entries for the Cultural Arts competition will be on public display Thursday through Sunday and ribbons will be awarded to winning entrants. The fair will kick-off its events on the morning of April 28th from 9 am-2 pm with "Kids Day," where kids under the age of 12 get in free with a paying adult. Among entertainment for the kids will be demonstrations from Bradley County Fire

Department and Rescue Service, a pet show and various petting animals. The Fair will officially open at 4:00 pm. Admission is $5 ($3 for seniors over 60 and children age 3-12.)

A country fair would not be a fair without a Queen. The Fairest of the Fair beauty pageant will this year be held at the Tri-State Exhibition Center and is open to all residents of Bradley County and surrounding areas. Contestants will be judged on beauty, poise and personality. Categories will be; Wee-Miss (age 5,6), Little Miss (ages 7,8,9), Fair Princess (ages 10,11,12) and will be judged Thursday 28th. Junior Fairest of the Fair (ages 13,14,15) and

Miss Foothills Fairest of the Fair (Ages 16-20) on Saturday 30th. A Prize will be given to the top 5 in each pageant and a Miss Photogenic award will be chosen from each category.The winner for the Fairest of the Fair Pageant which will also be judged on interview, will receive $300 and a trip to the State Pageant in Nashville in January 2006. As Bradley County is renown for its beautiful girls, there should be plenty of contestants.

The Foothills Country Fair offers 4 days of  good, clean, in-expensive, family entertainment with something for everyone. Bring your lawn chairs Saturday and Sunday and stay for the evening entertainment.  Mustang Sally, Jimmy Cash and T.G. Shepherd will be performing on Saturday night, with Gospel singing on Sunday night.

For more information about the fair, visit the website: www.foothillscountry fair.com or call the Tri-State Exhibition Center (423) 476-9310. If you would like to be one of the volunteers that make this fair possible, please call Joyce Johnson (423) 336-5653.

Have fun at the fair.