Cullen Baker Fair returns

A Special to the Journal-Sun

It’s back. It’s definitely back. The Cullen Baker Fair that is.

Those who care showed up at our meeting last week at the town’s community center to once again hash out mundane but necessary details like setting up an account to repair the stage to a needed freezer for fried pie storage to Country Store donations.

The effort is underway to reprint the first Cullen Baker Country cookbook published in 1976. Of course, there were other matters, too. It was, after all, a MEETING. But this one was different.

For one thing, we creatures of habit started out looking like we were still COVID-scared. Seating was far apart.

Then we let down all barriers and moved closer together. That broke the ice. The ideas quickly flowed. People volunteered.

One person generously offered her time and talents to organize and bring back The Little Mr. and Miss Cullen Baker Fair Pageant. Another person handed out flyers and still others went above and beyond the call of duty.

They accepted positions of responsibility such as chairman, vice chairman and secretary- treasurer. Amazingly, ALL already have loaded plates...day jobs, children and school and church commitments.

Never mind, though, it seems the spirit of this old fair...turned into something new...has taken over.

We had lots of laughs that night. New members were royally welcomed and all had a good time. And that’s the state of affairs for the return of the Cullen Baker Country Fair. I think it’s #47...with a brief disruption in 2020.

In a short and frenzied day of iPhone texting, the restart of the Cullen Baker Country Fair mushroomed and now stands solid as an event to anticipate in November. There are currently 19 booths sold and eight food trucks are certain.

Let it be known, the very first Cullen Baker Country Fair of 1974, had only 20 booths. Subsequent years saw that number rise to 500.

In the meantime, plans for these events have gone full steam ahead: The Little Mr. and Miss Cullen Baker Fair Pageant, a Color Run, a Cake Walk, The Old Country Store, live music, a reprinting of the first Cullen Baker Cookbook, published in 1976, a quilt drawing and a number of other Fair-related events. Donations have started coming in. A Cullen Baker Fair shirt is in the works.

Here is what you can do if you want to join the fun: 1. Spread this flyer around anywhere you want to. You can pick up your share of flyers at Bloomburg’s City Hall. Then, if you need more, xerox them yourself. Or, have it done at Bob’s Printing. Tech savvy individuals can copy the flyer from here.

2. Let someone know you want to be involved with the fair effort. Volunteer, volunteer, and volunteer some more. Share your energy, time, talent, ideas and funds. Jump right in and take a job. Don’t let the presence of the state line bother you. We have people from Arkansas and Texas. We welcome Oklahomans, Louisianans and anyone else.

3. Come to the next meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 18 in the community center. Join in and be a part of the effort to have a successful Local Country fair November 5...which is our goal.

Applications will be emailed from cullenbakerdays@ gmail.com. Please take all donations for the Country Store and prize donations to the Bloomburg City Hall between 9 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday.

All bands wanting to play at the fair, please contact Tim McCasland at 903-650-1230. All bands will be volunteer only.

A western wear beauty pageant for Mr. and Ms. Cullen Baker will be held. Please contact Ms. Niccqueta Varmall with questions.

The “Cullen Baker 5K in Color” color run is also in play. Please contact Estella Ramage or Eric Ramage with questions.

T-shirts will be available soon. Rebecca Bray Jackson will be taking those orders. We are asking for sponsors...so please ask around. The deadline will be August 31, so we can get shirts ordered.

We will have a baked potato fundraiser soon, but will not have garage sale booths in a flea market setting this year. Maybe in the future.

Everything will be on the same day except the pageant. We will have the pageant the weekend before. The color run will be right before the parade.

The Cullen Baker Fair is set for Saturday, Nov. 5, in downtown Bloomburg.