Contests ruled at Boone County Fair

By Kathryn Menue

EDITOR

The Boone County Fair proves every year that games aren’t just for children. One event that highlights this theme is the contests held at the Entertainment Pavilion.

On Wednesday, Aug. 10, Arnie Pearse hosted the fun variety contests for 15-year-olds and older. The contests were held from noon to 2 p.m. during the breaks of Chip Messiner’s One Man Country Band performance.

The third place winner from each game received $5. The second place winner received $10. The first place winner received $15 and a free pass to Magic Waters.

The first round of games brought the bubble gum blowing contest, where contestants tried to blow as big a bubble as they could out of their gum.

Pearse measured each bubble personally by having contestants come up one by one and try to blow the biggest bubble they could.

Although some contestants had trouble, the crowd applauded them for their efforts.

“Trying is the big part,” Pearse said.

The winning bubble measured 4.5 inches. For that, contestant Danielle won first place. Terry came in second, and Audrey came in third.

After the first game, contestants took a break to listen to Messiner perform country favorites such as “I Heard a Little Love Song.”

During the break, fairgoers could also pick up one of Chip Messiner’s CDs for $10.

Once Messiner completed his first set, contestants readied for the next round of play with the seed spitting competition, where competitors had to spit a sunflower seed as far as they could.

“Seed spitting contest, I think that’s a good one,” Messiner said.

Nicki won first place. Second place went to Erica. Third place winner was Danielle, who was having a good day, since she won the bubble gum blowing competition.

While winners received their prizes, Messiner took to the stage again, but this time to perform old classics with a country twist. For instance, Messiner sang “Brown Eyed Girl,” and “Another Saturday Night.”

As personnel readied for the Twinkie eating contest, Pearse thanked sponsor, Parnell Food, for their generous contribution to the Entertainment Pavilion.

Then, the Twinkie eating contest went underway with men dominating as the winners. Andrew took home first place, followed by Daniel in second, and Brad in third.

There were 11 contestants in the Twinkie eating contest overall, but the losers didn’t care about the prizes; they just came to have fun.

“I can’t do it [win the Twinkie eating contest]. I just wanted the Twinkie,” Lola Morgan said.

Others joined in the enthusiasm with one contestant, Caroline, getting Twinkie filling all over her face.

Messiner and Pearse joined in the fun as well.

“Arnie knows I’m a Twinkie-aholic,” Messiner joked with the crowd. Arnie Pearse played in on the joke by bringing Messiner a Twinkie on stage.

Messiner continued the gag by adding the word Twinkie where he could in the song “Margaritaville.”

After his performance, the Coca Cola drinking contest began.

First, Pearse had to warn contestants about the changes to the contest from the previous year.

In 2015, contestants drank from a 24 oz. bottle to see who would win by finishing their bottle first. However, some contestants nearly drowned themselves in Coca Cola, so the competition changed to cups filled with Coca Cola instead for 2016.

Plus, there were more prizes with the soda drinking contest. The first 10 contestants who signed-up received a free little notebook. The winners each received backpacks courtesy of Coca Cola who sponsored the game.

Yet again, men dominated the competition. John won first, with Corbin in second, and Maxwell in third.

The watermelon eating contest rounded out the competition after crew members cut up the fresh watermelon.

Lola Morgan took home the big prize, followed by Andrew in second, and Caroline in third.

As the games came to an end, Chip Messiner thanked Arnie Pearse for his dedication to hosting the games.

“A big hand for Arnie; he’s been here a long time doing this,” Messiner said.

For more information about Chip Messiner, contact (815) 817-9678. Messiner will perform in the local area again on Aug. 27. He will perform a John Denver tribute concert at Spring Creek United Methodist Church of Christ, located at 4500 Spring Creek Road in Rockford. The concert will begin at 7 p.m.