POMEROY — Business was brisk in the Meigs County Fair Board’s office on the Rocksprings Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday with a total of 2,556 entries being made in the open exhibit classes for this year’s fair which gets underway this weekend.

This shows about a 200 increase over last year even though the Little Miss and Mister and the pretty baby contest figures are not included as they have been in previous years.

Registration for those two contests is being handled differently this year. While pre-registration was held in both categories, registration will be continued on the day of the event for one hour prior to the each contest. This means the Fair Board will begin registration at 9 a.m. and the events will get underway at 10 a.m. For those who pre-registered, the fee was $10, for those who register on the day of the event, the fee is $20, according to Debbie Watson, Fair Board secretary.

The open class entries represent only senior fair participation and do not include the thousands of entries made by 4-H members, boy and girl scouts, and other youth organizations. It also does not include several categories which are not classified in competitive open classes.

Entries in their respective categories were as follows: dairy, 23; beef, 20; sheep, 0; poultry, 6; farm crops, 162; hay show, 10; flower show, 1,150; domestic arts, 113; painting, 61; photography, 655; baking and canning, 311; grange, 4; and antique display, 41.

Activities on the fairgrounds will get underway on Friday when the youth organizations begin setting up their booth displays.

On Saturday closed judging in several categories will begin. These include baking and canning, domestic arts, painting and photography, baking and canning, and Grange.

On Sunday animal weigh-ins will be held from 7 a.m. to noon. At 3 p.m. the Ridenour Family Livestock Arena will be dedicated after which the annual Shade River cookout for all junior fair exhibitors will be held. Opening ceremonies for the 2012 fair and youth activities will get underway at the grandstand at 6:30 p.m. The Junior Fair parade to be held on the track will kickoff the activities and be following by opening comments on the fair and the announcement of the 2012 Junior Fair Queen.