At last it appears that the sun is going to shine on the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair, which is in Day 4 of a 10-day run.

Last year, wet weather wiped out a large portion of the 69th edition of the county fair, and while the first couple of days of the 70th went on mostly as scheduled, they had to persevere under threatening skies.

When fair days are lost to weather, it not only denies folks the good time that can be found there, but cuts into profits, which the fair board uses to support a variety of charitable causes throughout Robeson County, including a generous kick-off gift each year to The Robesonian’s Empty Stocking Fund, which provides Christmas yearly to more than a thousand children.

But yesterday was beautiful, as will be today, and the forecast is for much more of the same during the upcoming week when skies will be mostly sunny and temperatures will retreat to the mid-70s — fall-like and ideal for a visit to the fairgrounds at 750 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Fair organizers tell us each year that this year’s edition will be the best ever, and the reason they can make that boast is that the fair continues to grow because of all the work that goes on behind the scenes. The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is recognized across all of North Carolina as one of the best in the state, and more than once it has been formally recognized as such.

Becoming a septuagenarian is no small feat itself.

“It is a milestone to have a county fair survive 70 years, much less grow like ours has,” said Allen Faircloth, president of the fair. “It is a testament to the volunteers and their families who sacrifice their time, talents and dedication over the years. It is a testament to our patrons who come out and enjoy the rides, entertainment, and exhibits that we offer. We could not do it without the farmers, bakers, and talented folks who enter their exhibits looking to be the blue-ribbon winner. It takes a lot of folks to make a successful fair, so we have a lot of folks we want to celebrate with.”

There really is something to be found at the fair for everyone, whether it be deliciously bad-for-you fried treats, the amusements rides, the entertainment, the animals, the competitions, or the exhibits, which are a mirror of the rural life so many of us enjoy in Robeson County.

“There is a little something for everyone in this year’s entertainment lineup,” said President Emeritus Coble Wilson. “From educational to silly, everything will strike a chord of family fun for our patrons, which is what we want.”

There are plenty of good deals to be found on ticket prices with discounts or free admission provided on different days for the military, special-needs children, students and senior citizens. For a full schedule of events, competitions, and entertainment, visit robesoncountyfair.com.

So we encourage you to visit the fair for what promises to be a day of fun, and know that some of the money you spend will support wonderful causes across Robeson County.

There’s nothing stopping you. Certainly not the weather.