LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Test your fair IQ

So, you think you know everything there is to know about the fair? 

Here is your opportunity to test your fair IQ in this week’s “Local Knowledge.”

1. In the beginning, there were 18 communities under consideration for the site of the Georgia National Fairgrounds. There were two finalists. Perry was selected. What city was the other finalist?

• A — Fairburn.
• B — Snellville.
• C — Macon.
• D — Albany.

2. The 8,250-seat Reaves Arena was named after Henry Reaves, a state representative from Brooks County. Reaves grew up on a cattle ranch in Kissimmee, Florida, where some of his family’s land was sold to build what attraction?

• A — Disney World.
• B — Daytona International Speedway.
• C — Ron Jon Surf Shop.
• D — Cypress Gardens.

3. What former U.S. president made an appearance at last year’s fair?

• A — Jimmy Carter.
• B — Barack Obama.
• C — George W. Bush.
• D — Bill Clinton.

4. Andy Rotz, a performer at this year’s fair, is the Guinness World Record holder for most Texas Skips, which is a difficult trick-roping maneuver. Rotz set the record of 11,123 consecutive skips in Las Vegas in March 2003. How long did it take him to complete the feat?

• A — 3 hours, 10 minutes.
• B — 5 minutes, 55 seconds.
• C — 4 days, 11 hours, 24 minutes, 40 seconds.
• D — 7 hours, 18 minutes.

5. The Georgia State Fair is now held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton. The fair’s home was in Macon for more than 160 years (1851 until 2013). What famous musical instrument was introduced at the Macon fair in 1852?

• A — Harpsichord.
• B — Trombone.
• C — Piccolo.
• D — Kazoo.

6. Magician Mike Fuller of Macon has been a mainstay at the Georgia National Fair for 35 years. What is the only fair attraction with a longer run?

• A — Stilt Circus.
• B — Mahealani’s Polynesian Revue.
• C — Robinson’s Racing Pigs.
• D — Safari Sam and Oscar the Ostrich.

7.  The iconic clock tower in the center of the fairgrounds was constructed for the first fair in 1990. Because of a shortage of funding, what was missing?

• A — Restrooms.
• B — Clock.
• C — Water fountains.
• D — Escalator.

8. Which musical artist did NOT  perform at the inaugural fair Oct. 5-15, 1990?

• A — The Temptations.
• B — Lee Greenwood.
• C — Ray Stephens.
• D — Diddy.

9. Big Mike & the Booty Papas, a two-time Grammy-nominated blues band from Macon, is playing at this year’s fair. How did the band get its name?

• A — Over plates of Italian poppers at a gig at the old Georgia Rib Company in Gray.
• B — Band members all got new cowboy boots for Father’s Day.
• C — Founder “Big” Mike Ventimiglia was asked to judge a “booty” contest.
• D — It was declared the winner after a newspaper contest to name the band.

10. Tammy Barton is a popular performer at the fair every year. Which of the following is true about her?

• A — She is a snake handler for the Southeastern Reptile Rescue.
• B — Her funnel cakes were voted “best on the midway” for eight straight years.
• C — She is a hypnotist, and her father, mother and sister are also  hypnotists.
• D — She is a backup singer for Morris Day & The Time.

ANSWERS

(1) C. (2) A. (3) D. (4) A. (5) D. (6) C. (7) B. (8) D. (9) A. (10) C.