New controlled entrances, exits

The Lincoln Civic Center Fall Fair is Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 8-11, and is an annual local fun event for the Labor Day weekend.

All the perennial favorite food treats, games and rides will be available at the family-friendly event. Parking is always free and there is no general admission fee.

What’s different this year is controlled access to enter or exit the fair.  Anyone who is 18 years old or younger must either purchase a rides armband or be continually accompanied by an adult, age 21 or older. A photo ID is required for the adult.

“The reason we’re having to move to this is for promoting a family-safe environment,” said Center director Quinn Jordan. “Over the last several years, we’ve had issues with juveniles creating issues at the fair, in which most (of them) had no intent on riding rides or playing games — just coming to disrupt the environment.”

To help prevent similar things from reoccurring, a fence has been put up around the fair to control entrance and exit.

“The thought on doing so is that individuals that either (a) have adult supervision or (b) have purchased a ticket, have a vested interest in maintaining a family-oriented environment that we promote at your Lincoln Civic Center,” Jordan said.

Hours of operation and armband prices are:

• Thursday, 4:30-9:30 p.m. $20 armbands

• Friday, 4:30-10:30 p.m., $25 armbands

• Saturday, 1-10:30 p.m., $25 armbands

• Sunday, 1-9:30 p.m., $15 armbands

“We strive to offer a family-oriented environment at all of our events so that the citizens of Lincoln County and Southwest Mississippi can count on that experience at every event that’s hosted at your Lincoln Civic Center,” Jordan said.