It’s that time of year again! With Fall approaching, local fairs and carnivals have come back to town. The Free Fair has been a tradition of Carterville for several years, and there seems to be no end in sight. Every year hundreds of people attend, not only from Carterville, but neighboring towns as well.

The fair took place Sept. 8-10. With food, games, rides, and even a pageant, there was something for all ages to enjoy. The Carterville Lions Club Free Fair Scholarship Pageant, held on Thursday, September 8th, consisted of three different age categories. Little Mr. and Little Miss Free Fair were for children aged 5-7, Jr. Miss was 13-16, and Miss Free Fair was 17-22. The Free Fair Parade consisted of the Fire station, the Police, local businesses, the pageant contestants, and more.

This year, CHS junior Ella Horn was crowned as Jr. Miss Carterville. Horn is now seen as a representative of The Carterville Lions Club and a strong supporter of our community. She rode in the Free Fair parade on Saturday, September 10. Horn reflects on her big win saying, “I am so excited to be able to hold the title of junior miss Carterville Free Fair 2022 and represent the town of Carterville! This town and community is something that is very near and dear to my heart, so having the opportunity to give back to our community and use my platform as a way to encourage others to do the same is something I am very grateful for.”

As for the fair itself, senior Faith Wetherington, said “They had better rides this year, than in any year past” She goes on to say, “There were new rides such as a slide, an upside down ride, and some new fun houses.” Wetherington also mentions how she saw many people she knew from the community, and many of her classmates. She expressed how her friends, including herself, love going to fairs and having one in the backyard of our hometown is super exciting.

Along with the new, fun and improved rides, there were multiple games set up where one could pay to play to try to win prizes. There were also many food vendors as well. Classic fair food such as corn dogs, funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, and much more were all available at the Free Fair.

This time of year with school and other extracurricular activities all starting back up after a long summer break, it’s nice to have a community event where families and friends can gather, relax, and have fun! And here in Carterville we have the privilege of having our very own Fair to do just that!