Fair Senior Citizens' Day Tradition Continues
Everett Taylor
East Texas State Fair officials have emphasized change in the annual event that opens this week, but it seems appropriate that the first day of the 2007 run is highlighted as Senior Citizens' Day.
Fair General Manager John Sykes talks about plans for making the fair "a little more contemporary" to enhance appeal for "a new audience," but he also emphasizes, "We don't want to forget the past under any circumstances."
Putting the spotlight on Senior Citizens on opening day of the fair Thursday perpetuates an event that has been a highly successful feature many years.
This will be the 38th annual program for Senior Citizen's Day at the fair. Participation has been high, so separate morning and afternoon programs help accommodate the crowds.
Credit for much of the popularity and success of the program must go to D. M. Edwards who is serving in his 30th year as chairperson for the event. This will be the 38th annual program.
The program planning committee doesn't take its assignment lightly, meeting monthly since March lining up entertainment and features for the programs. Performers will include a jump rope team, square dancers, a swing fiddle band and choirs.
Tyler Junior College groups on the lineup include Harmony and Understanding, Jazz Ensemble members and the Apache Band Drum Line plus the widely acclaimed Apache Belles.
Edwards said seniors over the age of 90 are invited to register at a special table in the foyer of Harvey Convention Center to compete for king and queen of each session, and couples married 60 years or longer to compete for the "longest married couple" honor at each session.
A dance and musical entertainment will follow the afternoon session featuring Jonna Fitzgerald, Hoss Huggins and the Ponderosa Band.
Most of those who will be attending the Senior Citizen events likely have seen a lot of fairs and similar expositions over the years. Some might even remember as far back as the Texas Centennial in 1936 which was memorable for a lot of things, including the first introduction of the new marvel of air conditioned buildings to many sweltering attendees. Most attendees likely never dreamed it would become a common feature in their own homes and automobiles.
On the contemporary side, this year's East Texas State Fair visitors will have a chance to see some things not around in 1936, including an exhibit getting the event attention in other places.
A news release from NASA out of Houston talks about an interactive exhibit scheduled to appear at the Tyler event Thursday through Tuesday.
"America's plans for opening the space frontier, including new human exploration of the Earth's moon and future voyages to Mars and beyond, are featured in an interactive exhibit scheduled to appear at the East Texas State Fair in Tyler September 20-25," the release said.
During the Tyler stay, the Interactive Constellation Experience exhibit will be at the activities building on the fairgrounds, the report added. It will be open to the public Thursday and Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m. Those also are the hours the fair is officially open.
The exhibit consists of an 11-foot by 11-foot holographic screen that allows visitors to virtually build the next generation spacecraft, Ares I and Ares V that will take humans back to the moon and eventually beyond, the NASA report noted.
The Ares I crew launch vehicle is the flagship of NASA's new generation of space transportation. It will carry astronauts to space in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. Ares V is a cargo launch vehicle.
Visitors will be able to choose their spacecraft and assemble it piece by peace using their imagination, and launch either Ares 1 or Ares 2 on its mission. Models of the two vehicles also will be on display, and visitors can obtain a souvenir photo of themselves in a simulated moon or Mars suit.
Using animation, the exhibit highlights both vehicles and demonstrates how they will interact with each other in space, NASA's release said.
Fair General Manager John Sykes talks about plans for making the fair "a little more contemporary" to enhance appeal for "a new audience," but he also emphasizes, "We don't want to forget the past under any circumstances."
Putting the spotlight on Senior Citizens on opening day of the fair Thursday perpetuates an event that has been a highly successful feature many years.
This will be the 38th annual program for Senior Citizen's Day at the fair. Participation has been high, so separate morning and afternoon programs help accommodate the crowds.
Credit for much of the popularity and success of the program must go to D. M. Edwards who is serving in his 30th year as chairperson for the event. This will be the 38th annual program.
The program planning committee doesn't take its assignment lightly, meeting monthly since March lining up entertainment and features for the programs. Performers will include a jump rope team, square dancers, a swing fiddle band and choirs.
Tyler Junior College groups on the lineup include Harmony and Understanding, Jazz Ensemble members and the Apache Band Drum Line plus the widely acclaimed Apache Belles.
Edwards said seniors over the age of 90 are invited to register at a special table in the foyer of Harvey Convention Center to compete for king and queen of each session, and couples married 60 years or longer to compete for the "longest married couple" honor at each session.
A dance and musical entertainment will follow the afternoon session featuring Jonna Fitzgerald, Hoss Huggins and the Ponderosa Band.
Most of those who will be attending the Senior Citizen events likely have seen a lot of fairs and similar expositions over the years. Some might even remember as far back as the Texas Centennial in 1936 which was memorable for a lot of things, including the first introduction of the new marvel of air conditioned buildings to many sweltering attendees. Most attendees likely never dreamed it would become a common feature in their own homes and automobiles.
On the contemporary side, this year's East Texas State Fair visitors will have a chance to see some things not around in 1936, including an exhibit getting the event attention in other places.
A news release from NASA out of Houston talks about an interactive exhibit scheduled to appear at the Tyler event Thursday through Tuesday.
"America's plans for opening the space frontier, including new human exploration of the Earth's moon and future voyages to Mars and beyond, are featured in an interactive exhibit scheduled to appear at the East Texas State Fair in Tyler September 20-25," the release said.
During the Tyler stay, the Interactive Constellation Experience exhibit will be at the activities building on the fairgrounds, the report added. It will be open to the public Thursday and Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m. Those also are the hours the fair is officially open.
The exhibit consists of an 11-foot by 11-foot holographic screen that allows visitors to virtually build the next generation spacecraft, Ares I and Ares V that will take humans back to the moon and eventually beyond, the NASA report noted.
The Ares I crew launch vehicle is the flagship of NASA's new generation of space transportation. It will carry astronauts to space in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. Ares V is a cargo launch vehicle.
Visitors will be able to choose their spacecraft and assemble it piece by peace using their imagination, and launch either Ares 1 or Ares 2 on its mission. Models of the two vehicles also will be on display, and visitors can obtain a souvenir photo of themselves in a simulated moon or Mars suit.
Using animation, the exhibit highlights both vehicles and demonstrates how they will interact with each other in space, NASA's release said.
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