Thursday is Senior Day at Nobles County Fair

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — People have different perceptions of what constitutes a senior citizen, but for Senior Day at the Nobles County Fair on Thursday, the term “senior” encompasses everyone age 50 and older.

For the second consecutive year, Senior Day will return to the fair bigger and better than ever. Last year’s event was hampered by the state government shutdown, which impacted participation among state agencies that cater to senior issues.

Anne Foley, enrichment programs coordinator for District 518 Community Education and member of the Nobles County Senior Concerns Committee, said this year’s event is filled with musical entertainment, educational displays and goodie bags.

“The Nobles County Fair has allowed us to use the grandstand. That’s where all the music is going to be,” Foley said. “There will be a number of displays inside the gate … information on Community Ed, RSVP, the YMCA and Sheriff’s Department.”

Goodie bags will be handed out just inside the grandstand gate for the first 200 attendees age 50 and older. The goodie bags are filled with fans, fly swatters, information on identity protection, post-it notes, pens, pencils and other trinkets. Everyone will also receive free bottled water and a discount coupon to the 4-H Food Stand for use that day.

Four musical groups will take the stage in the grandstand, beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing until 2 p.m.

First to take the stage is 2011 Worthington High School graduate Sean Benz, performing with the Iowa All Stars, a group of three musicians from the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association who also fit the bill as seniors. The group will perform early rock’n roll favorites.

From 11 a.m. to noon, the Marv Nissel Band will get people swaying in their seats to the sounds of polka music; and from noon to 1 p.m., Kulpepper Kounty will perform traditional country numbers. Rounding out the event, from 1 to 2 p.m., Glenn Henriksen will perform an array of patriotic, gospel and favorite sing-along songs.

Nursing homes from throughout the county have been invited to bring residents to the fair, and volunteers, including 4-H’ers, will assist in escorting those in wheelchairs through the fairgrounds and to the grandstand.

“The interaction between the generations is really cool,” Foley said. “Any age can enjoy the fair.

“It’s a nice time of day, when the weather is nice and the fairgrounds are not really busy with people rushing here and there,” she added. “There’s opportunity (for seniors) to see things at their own pace.”

Foley said Senior Day has multiple benefits — it encourages those ages 50 and older to visit the fair and see the exhibits, and it also brings more activity to the fair on the first full day of livestock shows and fair events.

“We’re hoping we’re going to increase some traffic at the fair, have some great music and also educate people about different (senior issues),” she said.

Educational displays will feature everything from financial scams to probate planning and the new drug drop-off box at the Prairie Justice Center. Also, attendees will receive copies of the new directory completed by the Senior Concerns Committee.

Thursday’s Senior Day programming was made possible, in large part, because of a grant from the Worthington Regional Health Care Foundation.

Tags: senior day, nobles county fair, news