BROWNSTOWN — It was pretty quiet around the Jackson County Fairgrounds during the late morning and mid-afternoon Friday.
The exhibit buildings and midway hadn’t opened yet, so that was a prime opportunity for those with special needs to visit the fairgrounds.
This was the fourth year for quiet barn time in the morning, where Jackson County 4-H’ers brought goats, horses, poultry, a sheep, a pig and a rabbit to Show Arena 2 for people to see up close and touch.
This was the sixth year for quiet ride time in the afternoon, where the Jackson County Fair Association partnered with Poor Jack Amusements to have select rides open for people to enjoy for free.
The temperature rising to nearly 100 degrees in the early afternoon resulted in a lower turnout, but spirits were still high among those who attended. That was evident in the smiles and the expressions of excitement.
Andrea Fernandez of Seymour brought her daughter, Natalia, 2, and son, Patricio, 6, to both events for the first time.
Natalia enjoyed the animals in the morning, but she was a little tired in the afternoon for the rides, so Andrea let her rest while Patricio went from ride to ride.
“Oh, I think it’s so nice to be able to enjoy this quiet time,” Andrea said. “Today was the day that we were like, ‘OK, let’s do this.’ I’m feeling confident he can ride by himself and I can be with her, and I just love it.”
She appreciated it being a welcoming, accepting, relaxing environment for her daughter.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Andrea said.
She’s glad The Arc of Jackson County helped promote the event and had representatives there, and she said she tries to support the organization any way she can.
“I think it’s so nice that this nonprofit exists for kids to feel safe and that they are as important as everyone else,” Andrea said.
Melanie O’Neal, executive director of The Arc of Jackson County, enjoyed seeing Natalia, Patricio and all other kids and adults having a good time.
“Her son can come and ride rides without all of the crowd like it is on bracelet day or bracelet night, and it’s still a fun, safe, appropriate environment for them,” O’Neal said.
Chelsea Brooks traveled to the Jackson County Fair from Bedford just to bring her son, Waylin Tolliver, 8, to quiet ride time. She said Lawrence County doesn’t offer that at its fair, so this was her second year in a row coming to the special event at the Jackson County Fair.
“The rides,” she said of what brought them out. “This has been his only opportunity to ride a roller coaster or a Ferris wheel because we don’t wait in lines very well. This is perfect for us.”
Seeing Waylin’s reactions to the rides made it worthwhile.
“He gets really excited to ride, and he’s happy,” Brooks said. “I thought it would terrify him, but it didn’t, and he gets a chance to do things that he probably wouldn’t do otherwise.”
As a parent of a special needs child, quiet ride time means a lot to Brooks.
“It’s nice to be able to see him enjoy things that typical kids would get to enjoy every other day of the year,” she said. “We try to make this day about him and do what he wants to do because he never gets that opportunity otherwise.”
She said the plan is to continue coming to the Jackson County Fair each year for quiet ride time.
“Yeah, we will definitely be back as long as they keep doing it,” Brooks said. “It’s very nice.”
For quiet barn time, Emma Tormoehlen, 16, who is in her eighth year in 4-H and is a member of the Dudleytown Redbirds club, brought one of her pigs for people to see. She even let one of the attendees help spray her pig with water.
“It’s really fun,” she said. “I love seeing the people reacting when they are interacting and being able to do it comfortably. It gives people that can’t handle the loud barns to do it and see all of the same stuff but in a more controlled environment that’s more suited for them.”
She gets a lot out of the experience, too.
“It makes me happy for them knowing that they are really happy,” she said. “It’s definitely getting better every year, a better turnout.”
To help keep people cool and hydrated Friday, the fair board partnered with the Immanuel Lutheran Church food stand to provide free water vouchers to those attending quiet barn and ride times.