62nd Clothesline Fair Opens Saturday

PRAIRIE GROVE — Labor Day weekend is coming up and that means it’s time for the annual Clothesline Fair at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

The 62nd Clothesline Fair opens at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, with activities planned throughout the weekend. The three-day event is run by the Prairie Grove Lions Club, in partnership with the state park and the Arts Center of the Ozarks.

Admission to the Clothesline Fair is free to the public. Parking is available at the state park for $5 per vehicle per day and part of the proceeds from this fee supports the backpack program for Prairie Grove students. Backpacks are filled with food for children who need something to eat on the weekends. Parking also is available on other lots and prices for these will vary.

The Clothesline parade will start at the Prairie Grove Middle School at 9 a. m., travel through downtown Prairie Grove and end at the Borden House entrance of the park. Parade entries will include square

dance groups, local marching bands, antique cars, horse clubs and cheerleaders.

Eve Smith, director of visual arts for the Arts Center of the Ozarks, said the Ozark Arts and Crafts Exhibition at the Clothesline Fair will have about 140 vendors. At least 40 vendors are new this year. One vendor is from Springfield, Mo., and makes beautiful, unique pottery, Smith said. Several are new soap vendors.

The craft fair is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.

In addition to the handmade crafts, food and drink concessions are a big part of the Clothesline Fair. The Lions Club organizes the food vendors and local non-profit organizations use the concession stands as fundraisers for their groups. Some of the food vendors include Junior Civic League, American Legion, Prairie Grove band booster, Cub Scouts, PTA and Boy Scouts. The Lions Club sponsors its own concession stand each year in the Latta Barn.

The Clothesline Fair is the Lions Club’s only fundraiser for the year and proceeds are used to benefit the Prairie Grove School District, said Craig Battles, secretary-treasurer.

“Last year, through our concessions, we donated almost $10,000 to the Prairie Grove schools,” Battles said. “The money we make off the Latta Barn stays in town.”

Under the club’s contract with the state park, 15 percent of all concessions goes to the state park. Food vendors turn over another 10 percent of their sales to the Lions Club, which is also responsible for such expenses as insurance and renting portable bathrooms.

The third leg of the Clothesline Fair is square dancing and hundreds of children dance each year, either as a younger, exhibition group or as an older group, competing to win the annual championship.

The exhibition square dances will start earlier this year, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Monday at the amphitheater. The square dancing competition starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Monday.

Jessee Cox, superintendent of Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, said his staff has been preparing for weeks in anticipation of the Clothesline Fair.

“We’re in charge of all utilities and amenities for the 30,000 people who will come over the three- day weekend,” Cox said.

Battles said the Clothesline Fair is a great success because it is a community event.

“The Lions Club is so grateful for everyone in the community and how they pull this great Prairie Grove tradition off every year,” Battles said.