Local Weather Forecast
Today: Current:95	Sunday: 97/74	Monday: 96/75
Complete Forecast for  Jul 19 2008

By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer

RUSK — The 17th annual “Fair on the Square” in downtown Rusk begins Friday morning and runs through Saturday night with events for all ages, arts and crafts and entertainment.

During the two-day fair visitors will experience the “back to the ’50s” theme for this year’s event, said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Goldsberry.

“Kids Day” will begin Friday morning at 10 a.m. with booths and games to entertain children of all ages. The games and prizes are free. Children can take mini Ferris-wheel and train rides for free and play in bounce houses.

Goldsberry said the Ferris-wheel is small but it will be the biggest one to visit Rusk in a long time. There will also be a comic-book-hero and fairy tale impersonators, including Spiderman and Cinderella, and “a few special guests.” The children can have their picture taken with some of the special guests, Goldsberry said. “Kids Day” will run until 4 p.m. on Friday but the children’s activities and rides will also be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Friday night visitors are invited to spend “An Evening with Elvis,” as the chamber hosts all ages. There will be poodle skirt, Elvis Presley and ’50s look-alike contests followed by an Elvis Presley tribute artist. The contests, concert and dance will begin at 6 p.m. in the Baskin’s Building on the square. Advance tickets are $10 and $12 at the door. The night’s events will benefit the American Cancer Society through Cherokee County Relay for Life.

Volunteer Amy Dennington said the event will be a fun-filled night for the whole family, a night to dance, have an ice cream float and visit with friends. Darlene Pitts, who booked the artist and is taking care of advance sales, said about 60 of about 150 available seats have been purchased so far. Dennington said no one will be turned away from the concert and if the Baskin’s Building gets too crowded, the concert will move into the downtown streets.

Ms. Pitts said her 4-year-old granddaughter is ready for the poodle skirt contest.“With the costumes and the lighting it kind of takes you back in time,” she said.

Saturday kicks off at 8 a.m. with a 5K run and walk benefiting Dream Tree, a charity that makes sure all children in the area receive a present Christmas morning. Registration for the 5K is $20 and begins on the square. Goldsberry said close to 50 arts and crafts and food vendors have signed up for a spot during the fair and he expects closer to 100 on Saturday.

Dennington said the fair grows every year and that this year is no exception with the addition of the rides, contests and concert. She said the square will be decorated for the event and encourages everyone to bring the entire family.

“If you’ve never been to downtown Rusk it has the setting to go along with all the weekend’s activities,” she said.

Goldsberry said the fair is not only a good way to raise money for worthy causes but also gives the city a chance to showcase what it can offer to people outside the area. He said last year people from Dallas and Houston made the trip to visit the town buried deep among the hills and pine trees of East Texas.

“It’s a community wide event,” he said. “It’s a great time for local folks to run into each other outside of church or the grocery store and for new people, who don’t know the town, to see what a great place Rusk is to live.”