The Dixie Classic Fair ran for five days in 1957, from Tuesday, October 8th to Saturday, October 12th. Miss North Carolina, Elaine Herndon, opened the fair at 9:30 a.m. Wayne Corpening, the Fair Commissioner, was the master of ceremonies.
The fair had a robust start when the Winston-Salem school children came in the afternoon of the first day toting their free passes that they received in the mail. Schools closed at noon so that children could use their free passes and enjoy a long fair day. Forsyth County school children were guests of the fair on Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, which was set aside as Forsyth County and Governor Luther Hodges Day, the governor came for a guided tour by Fair Manager, Neil Bolton.
There were several events planned in the entertainment category. George Hamilton IV and Carmel Quinn performed in the Coliseum during a musical variety spectacular. Television star Julius LaRosa performed on Friday. These afternoon and evening shows were previously performed outside, so this was the first time the shows were inside.
Friday was Volunteer Fireman’s Day, with the firemen’s beauty queen (Pat Foster) selected during the afternoon. Saturday was NASCAR Auto Racing Day.
Livestock, homemaking, and community development exhibits were on display for judging. A total of $26,500 in prizes were awarded.
The World of Mirth Shows’ midway featured 25 acres of canvas and was a big draw for the children. The fair had good weather with good attendance for the five day run.
Here are more photos that show scenes from the fairgrounds during the fair’s run in October 1957. Enjoy looking at some of the changes from the fair today, such as the unpaved midway and the unpaved areas around the rides. Also, notice the clothing in the style of the day.
Photos courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
Stay tuned for the next historical post on October 15th.
I VOTE NOT TO CHANGE THE NAME OF DIXIE CLASSIC FAIR.