GALLIPOLIS — Gallia County’s fairgrounds will turn into a mini-community starting today as animals and other projects are moved into the barns in preparation for the start of Gallia’s 60th junior fair on Monday.

Cattle and horse projects are to enter the fairgrounds today at Gate 1, while swine and sheep are to come in at Gate 3.

Tracy Winters, Extension Educator for 4-H and community development, said general, non-animal projects found in the Activities Building total 669, while animal projects are around 943.

That breaks down to 115 steers, 135 lambs, 462 hogs, 63 feeder calves, 71 goats and 97 small animals, such as chickens and rabbits.

“The general projects are down and the number of hogs are down some,” Winters said. “Everything else is about the same.”

Nevertheless, the response to entering projects in the fair remains strong among 4-Hers, FFA members and scouts.

“It’s the same amount of kids, but the number of projects was fewer, probably due to the economy,” she said.

Heavy rain flooded the fairgrounds Friday morning, but fair board directors and volunteers went to work immediately after the water receded to clean up mud and any debris carried into the fairgrounds by high water.

The fair will proceed as scheduled, Fair Board Treasurer Mike McCalla stressed.

The fair’s first day opens with rabbit judging in the Dairy Barn and 4-H project judging in the Activities Building, both at 8:30 a.m. Tobacco judging in the Show Arena kicks off at 9 a.m., as does horse judging in the Horse Arena.

Judging of small pets in the Dairy Barn and demonstrations in the Gray Pavilion are set for 11 a.m. Poultry judging is at noon.

The fair’s official opening with recognition of dignitaries by Fair Board Secretary Tim Massie and an address by Board President Dan Brown is at 1 p.m. The dairy show also begins at 1. Gallia Academy and River Valley high school bands will stage concerts on the main stage, at 1:30 and 5:45 respectively, with the Livestock Skill-a-thon set for 6 at the Gray Pavilion. The Little Miss Gallia County contest is on the main stage at 6:30, followed by the Little Mr. competition at 7:30. The Imperial Stunt Drivers Auto Show is at the pulling track at 7:30.

The day ends with the 2009 Gallia County Queen Pageant at 9:30 on the main stage.

The fair runs until Aug. 8.