Quick Poll

Have you ever served on a jury?

Recent Polls

Blogs

Angela McRae

Tea with friends

Deberah Williams

Everyday Finesse

Lorrie Lynch

Who's News

Published Monday, February 13, 2012 in Local

File Photo

Josh Morris and his sons, Seth and Tate, shown at last year’s CPVA show have been raising chickens in Hiram, Ga., for two decades. They say the Coweta Fairgrounds offer some of the best facilities they've ever seen, and people come from all over the country to participate in the poultry shows here.

Eighth annual poultry show and sale Saturday and Sunday at fairgrounds

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

It's poultry season in Coweta. Poultry show season, that is.

This weekend, fancy poultry enthusiasts from around the country -- and their birds -- will be flocking to the Coweta County Fairgrounds for the Chattahoochee Valley Poultry Association's eighth annual show and sale.

The show starts Saturday and will end Sunday around 11 a.m. But other events will be going on until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

New this year are a swap meet, where vendors can sell just about anything, and a car and tractor show.

In addition to the CVPA show and junior show, there will also be a pigeon show this year, and the Dutch Bantam National Meet, said Bryan Massengale, president of the Chattahoochee Valley Poultry Association.

Hundreds of birds, of all breeds, will be competing in the show. Chickens are the mainstay of the event, but the show is also open to large waterfowl, bantam ducks, and turkeys.

There will also be the sale area, with plenty of birds and poultry accessories for sale.

Admission is free for spectators.

"Most shows might have 1,000 to 1,500 birds, but there are over 2,000 birds at this show," said Josh Morris of Hiram, a visitor at the 2011 Chattahoochee Valley Poultry Association winter show at the Coweta Fairgrounds. "This is my favorite show to come to. It draws people from all over. I just met a guy from Pittsburgh. The facilities and the people here are fantastic."

Massengale expects arts and crafts, yard sale, and other types of vendors for the swap meet. The association asks that no swap meet vendors sell any kind of food or drink, so as not to compete with the association's concession stand. The concession stand is a major fundraiser for the group.

Swap meet spaces are $10.

The car show is open to all cars, trucks, and tractors. The vehicles won't be judged, Massengale said. Instead, there will be drawings for a large number of door prizes, many donated by local businesses. The grand prize is $200.

The entry fee for the car and tractor show is $20.

The poultry show keeps growing every year, said Massengale. This is the second year for the two-day show.

It's one of the biggest shows in the South, Massengale said. He thinks it's also the best.

"If we get decent weather, it is going to be a monster weekend," Massengale said. So far, there are many more out-of-state competitors signed up than ever before.

"We've got a lot of people coming this year, and they tell us they are bringing friends," he said.

Massengale said he thinks one of the reasons the show is so successful is the local support. "We have a lot contributors, people that help sponsor," Massengale said, as well as large crowds of spectators. Coweta County Farm Bureau sponsored the junior show last year and is doing so again this year, Massengale said.

The gates open at 6 p.m. Saturday, and close at 6 p.m. On Sunday the hours will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors can begin setting up after 2 p.m. on Friday. Swap meet spots will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, Massengale said.

For more information about the car and tractor show, contact Ricky Frost at 678-850-1755.

For more information about the show, swap meet, or the CVPA, visit www.cvpa-newnan.org or call Massengale at 770-900-1669.

Comment On This Story

Times-Herald.com does not necessarily agree with the comments posted below. Responsibility of comments rests solely with the writer. Comments posted in ALL CAPS will be deleted.

Submission of a comment does not guarantee publication. Comments will be posted by a moderator after being scanned for abusive language, relevance, etc. See our Comments FAQ for more details.