LAPEL — Lapel Village Fair organizers are planning the 30th anniversary of the event Friday, July 13, and Saturday, July 14, in and around town.
The annual celebration gives people a chance to get out and about and enjoy summertime while eating tasty food, taking part in crafts, visiting vendor booths, listening to music and more.
Herschel Hinkle, president of the Lapel Community Association, and other event organizers have been working hard to make the 30th anniversary of the event a good one.
Hinkle’s wife, Nancy, has been a part of organizing and supporting the event for nearly three decades and recalled working on the second annual Lapel Village Fair.
“It’s always been a lot of fun,” Hinkle said. “The people in the town really look forward to it.”
This year’s two-day celebration kicks off at 8 a.m. Friday, July 13, with a town-wide rummage sale. There will be many events and happenings throughout the day, including bungee jumping and pony rides.
The day’s activities are set to wrap up with a street dance set for 9 to 11 p.m. on Main Street.
The crafts and food booths open at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 14, along with the rummage sale.
For those looking for a little activity, there is a run/walk organized by the Lapel Lions Club set for 8:30 a.m. at Lapel High School
One of Saturday’s main events is the car show at Daybreak Community Church, 1219 Main Court. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.
They’ll also be a Build a Beard (or mustache) craft table setup indoors on the banquet side of Lapel Eagles Aerie, 110 E. Ninth St.
The parade through town starts at 3:30 p.m. Organizers said all are welcome and simply need to show up to be part of the event.
One of the special happenings this year a tethered balloon operator offering rides to folks who want to get a birds-eye view of the fair.
The event doesn’t attract just local residents, organizers said. They often see people visiting from nearby towns and enjoying all the fair has to offer.
In 1989, when Nancy first got involved with helping put the event together, organizers had no money, only a handful of booths and little help. But through the years, dozens of helpers have stepped forward, and this year they even have sponsors helping pick up some of the costs and are expecting more than 100 booths.
“It’s really grown,” Nancy said.
Nancy officially stepped down from organizing the event this year, and Shellie Sears of Lapel has stepped up to help take over one of the leadership roles.
Sears calls the event a great community gathering but admits there are challenges with keeping a small-town happening exciting for modern families.
Many vendors operate shops and show their crafts online and don’t always see the need to go out to festivals and showcase their goods like they used to.
Still, organizers have worked hard and had success making the Lapel Village Fair special this summer with hopes of keeping it going for future generations.
“We’re trying to generate some more interest,” Sears said. “We’re working towards that in the future.”
Lapel Village Fair 30th Anniversary
Friday, July 13
8 a.m. — Town-wide rummage sales
Noon — Food and craft booths on Main Street
Noon to 8 p.m. — Pony rides on Main Street
Noon to 8 p.m. — Bungee Jump on Main Street
Noon to 8 p.m. — Knocker Ball next to Daybreak Community Church, 1218 Main St.
4 to 8 p.m. — Entertainment under the tent
3 to 7 p.m. — Youth carnival ages 4 to 12 — basketball throw, pit stop, tattoos, fish pond, bowling, slime-making; Strawberry Shortcake Bake Sale — Daybreak Community Church, 1218 Main St.
4 to 7 p.m. — Dan’s Fish Fry, 925 Ford St.
5 to 8:30 p.m. — Live music and free water in Stewart’s Window Tinting parking lot, corner of Main Street and Pendleton Avenue.
9 to 11 p.m. — Street Dance on Main Street with DJ Ryan Edward
Saturday, July 14
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Craft and food booths on Main Street
8 a.m. — Town-wide rummage sales
8:30 a.m. — Run/Walk hosted by the Lapel Lions Club. Run begins at Lapel High School.
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Car show registration begins At 9:30 a.m. at Daybreak Community Church, 1219 Main St. Proceeds go to the food pantry.
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Hand-breaded tenderloins at Lapel American Legion, 1600 Main St. on the patio
Noon to 3 p.m. — Build A Beard: Craft table indoors on the banquet side of Lapel Eagles Aerie, 110 E. Ninth St., where participants can create a beard or mustache (supplies provided). Participants can also build their own beard at home. The competition will begin at 5 p.m. Categories will be by age group.
1 p.m. — Lapel Eagles (110 E. Ninth St.) outside stage featuring The Stampede String Band, Dreammaker, Drew Hawk from The Tone Lab Society and Thomas Wayne Pruitt.
1 p.m. — Adult Corn Hole Tournament begins at The Lapel Eagles (110 E. Ninth St.) Registration takes place noon to 12:20 p.m. Must be 18 or older to participate.
1 to 8 p.m. — Junior carnival — basketball throw, tattoos, fish pond, duck pond, pit stop, bowling, slime making; strawberry shortcake bake sale at Daybreak Community Church, 1219 Main St.
3:30 p.m. — Parade on Main Street
4 to 7 p.m. — Chicken noodle dinner at Daybreak Community Church, 1912 Main St.
Approximately 7:30 to 9 p.m. — hot air balloon rides (tethered, no charge) at Woodward Park, 1417 Vine St.
9 p.m. — Movie (no charge) in Woodward Park, 1417 Vine St.
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Lapel Village Fair 30th Anniversary
Friday July 13:
8 a.m. TOWN WIDE RUMMAGE SALES
Noon FOOD AND CRAFT BOOTHS ON MAIN STREET
Noon to 8 p.m. PONY RIDES LOCATED ON MAIN ST.
Noon to 8 p.m. BUNGEE JUMP LOCATED ON MAIN ST.
Noon to 8 p.m. KNOCKER BALL LOCATED NEXT TO DAYBREAK CHURCH 1218 MAIN ST.
4 to 8 p.m. ENTERTAINMENT UNDER THE TENT
3 to 7 p.m. YOUTH CARNIVAL AGES 4 to 12 YEARS OLD. BASKETBALL THROW, PIT-STOP, TATTOO’S, FISH POND, BOWLING, SLIME MAKING. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BAKE SALE. DAYBREAK CHURCH 1218 MAIN ST.
4 to 7 p.m. DAN’S FISH FRY, 925 FORD ST.
5 TO 8:30 p.m. LIVE MUSIC AND FREE WATER IN STEWART’S WINDOW TINTING PARKING LOT CORNER OF MAIN ST. AND PENDLETON AVE.
9-11 p.m. STREET DANCE ON MAIN ST. WITH DJ RYAN EDWARD
Saturday July 14
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CRAFT AND FOOD BOOTHS ON MAIN ST.
8 a.m. TOWN WIDE RUMMAGE SALES
8:30 a.m. RUN/WALK HOSTED BY THE LAPEL LIONS CLUB. RUN BEGINS AT THE LAPEL HIGH SCHOOL.
9:30 a.m. 2 p.m. CAR SHOW REGISTRATION BEGINS AT 9:30 a.m. DAYBREAK CHURCH 1219 MAIN ST. PROCEEDS GO TO THE FOOD PANTRY.
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. HAND BREADED TENDERLOINS LAPEL AMERICAN LEGION 1600 MAIN ST. ON THE PATIO
Noon to 3 p.m. BUILD A BEARD. CRAFT TABLE INDOORS ON THE BANQUET SIDE OF LAPEL EAGLES AERIE 110 E. 9TH ST. CREATE A BEARD OR MUSTACHE WITH SUPPLIES PROVIDED. OR BUILD YOUR OWN AT HOME. THE COMPETITION WILL BEGIN AT 5 p.m. CATEGORIES WILL BE BY AGE GROUPS.
1 p.m. LAPEL EAGLE OUTSIDE STAGE. FEATURING THE STAMPEDE STRING BAND, DREAMMAKER, DREW HAWK, FROM THE TONE LAB SOCIETY, AND THOMAS WAYNE PRUITT. 110 E. 9TH ST.
Noon to 12:20 p.m ADULT CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION. AT THE LAPEL EAGELS 110 E. 9 TH STREET. MUST BE 18. TOURNAMENT 1 p.m.
1 to 8 p.m. JR. CARNIVAL. BASKETBALL THROW, TATTOO’S, FISH POND, DUCK POND, PIT STOP, BOWLING, SLIME MAKING, STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BAKE SALE. DAYBREAK CHURCH 1219 MAIN ST.
3:30 p.m. PARADE ON MAIN STREET
4 to 7 p.m. CHICKEN NOODLE DINNER DAYBREAK CHURCH 1912 MAIN ST.
SUNSET – FREE HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES (TETHERED) WOODWARD PARK 1417 VINE ST. REMAX PERFORMANCE KELLY WOOD. TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE 7:30-9 p.m.
9 p.m. FREE MOVIE IN WOODWARD PARK 1417 VINE ST.
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