Thousands of people attend the Great Darke County Fair; whether their interest is in agriculture, livestock, horse-racing, the midway, flower arranging, good eats, or simply to make connections with people they do not often see, throngs flock to this highly anticipated and then fondly remembered event.
Starting on the third Friday of August, the Darke County Fairgrounds is definitely the place to be. And once again this year, Darke County Center for the Arts will be there!
DCCA’s booth in the Coliseum provides opportunity for the organization to make connections with many people they may not otherwise meet, as well as link with those who already know and appreciate what DCCA brings to the community. Frankly, I am annually amazed at the local people who stop by the booth because they’ve never heard of DCCA, even though the arts council has been around for almost 40 years. (Not nearly as long as the fair, of course, but a good long time nevertheless.) These newcomers to DCCA are often attracted by the posters crammed into the small space advertising coming attractions for the next season.
Some fair-goers stop to let DCCA know that they recognize and admire the artists pictured. Famed and beloved practitioners of “The Cowboy Way” Riders in the Sky will adorn two of those posters, and undoubtedly draw attention. The Riders new show honoring “King of the Cowboys” and Ohio native Roy Rogers scheduled for Nov. 12 will be followed the next day by a Sunday matinee performance aimed at “little cowpokes” and featuring jokes, rope tricks, and Grammy-Award winning music from Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc. The poster advertising DCCA’s Dec. 17 presentation of A Christmas Carol should entice interest from those of all ages; other Artists Series performances will elicit questions and comments ranging from “Who are those guys” to “I’ve seen them, and they are great!”
Those who enjoy performances in an intimate social setting can inquire about the outstanding line-up for DCCA’s Coffeehouse Series featuring a diverse array of highly talented artists appearing in accessible, cozy venues around Darke County. Families with young children may stop to learn more about DCCA’s Family Theatre Series, and pick up a bookmark listing the shows based on classic children’s literature that will soon take the stage in Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall at the very affordable cost of $5 per ticket. Coupons offering a discount on tickets to DCCA’s popular Halloween-season Ghostwalk will be offered and scooped up by enthusiastic youngsters and adults alike.
Loyal DCCA patrons often check in to let the organization know what they have enjoyed in the past and would like to see in the future (as well as what they didn’t like and hope to never see again.) In fact, everyone has an opportunity to tell DCCA their likes and dislikes by filling out a brief survey that is actually put to use when planning future programs. Sometimes opinions offered are impossible to put into action, but they are not ignored. And by simply letting DCCA know what you think, you earn a chance for free tickets to DCCA presentations, which will be given away daily to lucky survey responders.
If you have not yet purchased your tickets for DCCA’s 2016-17 “Connections” season, you can take care of that lapse at the fair. Tickets will be available for all DCCA presentations, and membership donations will be happily accepted at the booth as well. Darke County Center for the Arts’ mission of cultural enrichment is expressed in myriad forms; DCCA’s presence at the Great Darke County Fair, an institution integral to the culture of our community, provides opportunity for spreading word of that mission to DCCA patrons while reaching out to new audiences making their initial connection to another Darke County institution.
