Winner picked in fair contest

Fair season is coming up, and the theme for this year's festivities will be "Where the fun starts the Great Northern Fair."

The winning theme was picked May 20 by the Great Northern Fair Board. The theme will be printed on all posters, fliers and the promotional premium book touting the arrival of the 79th annual event.

The contest winner, Danika Patterson, a sixth-grader at St. Jude Thaddeus School, said she isn't sure how she thought of the slogan.

"It just kinda popped into my head," she said.

Danika learned about the contest from her teacher, Alma Seidel, who encouraged her students to participate. Many of her classmates entered the contest, Danika added, and she didn't expect to win.

"I'm excited and surprised and honored that I won," she said.

Mike Spencer, manager of the Great Northern Fair, said the contest, which accepts entries for one month each spring, received 48 ideas for this year's theme.

"This year was a real good turnout for it," he said. "A lot of good entries."

Spencer said that Danika's idea beat out entries from children and adults from throughout the community.

Danika's prize package includes two tickets for every show at the Great Northern grandstand, including Wednesday night's junior rodeo; Thursday night's concert by the Doo Wah Riders, a modern Western band from California; Friday's demolition derby; and Saturday and Sunday's rodeo, plus two all-day passes for the rides.

The fair starts Aug. 7 and will run through Aug. 11. It will include food and game booths, free stage acts, exhibits and a petting zoo.