The annual Dallas County parade wound along 4th Street to Main with a small contingent of horses bringing up the rear before concluding the route at the fair grounds; Natalie Cranford, Blakely Brown and Emi Mathews check out fair exhibits when they opened to the public Thursday afternoon; and 4-H mom Heath-er Cranford fed her daughter Natalie’s baby goat. Photos: Richard Ledbetter.

Editor’s note: The author of this article is Richard Ledbetter.

At 3:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon (September 17), this year’s Dallas County Fair exhibits opened to the public.

In addition, 4-H entries were judged in the ad-joining animal barn. Animals entered ranged from chickens to geese and turkeys, goats and hogs.

Saturday morning brought a 7:00 a.m., 1k and 5k color run following a route ranging over Fordyce streets.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Chicot Trace chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and Ouachita Valley chapter of Colonial Dames met in front of Dallas County Museum to celebrate “Bells Across America” by ringing the historic Bunn schoolhouse bell in recognition of Constitution Day. The tolling of the bell marked the exact hour in 1787 when our Founding Fathers signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia.

Led by a Fordyce Fire Department fire truck, the annual parade launched from Beech Grove Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m. running the length of Fourth Street to the corner of Main where it turned south to conclude south of the Cotton Belt Railroad on the fairgrounds.

Two food vendors, a bounce house and a mini-golf course provided sustenance and entertainment for families taking in the day. At noon, the annual dog show competition proceeded with seven entrants