The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-08-07
BIG FREE FAIR
WEEK OF AUG.
4-17 BEST YET
IONIA MERCHANTS CONTRACT
GREAT VARIETY OF SHOWS,
AERIAL FLIGHTS, ETC.

Ionia's fourth annual fee fair oc-
ours week after next, Aug. Ia, Is, 16,
and II, and the management have the
plans laid for the biggest and best Of
any yet held.
Ionia Free fair is the only free fair
this year in Michigan and one of
three in the whole United States.
Ionia conceived tho idea, and has
proved its success, and this year will
extend its scope in many directions,
assuring the greatest week Ionia has
enjoyed.
The merchants of Ionia put on the
free fair appreciating the patronage
Of the people during the year. The
merchants pay the expense, the people
are admitted to the fair without any
charge. The keys to Ionia city will
be thrown in the river, the gates to
the fair grounds left wide open.
The automobile will be given away,
merchants are now passing out free
tickets with all purchases to the free
fair.
The Ionia Driving club promises the
real racing. Many horses are on the
track now and theNrace program will
cover three afternoons. Usual purs-
es are hung up and the Ionia Driving
club is the best organization of its
kind Ionia has had since the early
days.
The automobile show will be larger
than last year. The big tent will be
filled with all the 1919 styles.
Then there will be the nrmored car
used by the Michigan state constabu-
larry of Lansing as a riot emergency
machine. This car will be brought to
Ionia.
While no premiums for displays are
offered the stockmen farmers and mer-
chants are showing a loyal disposition
in appreciation of what Ionia does in
the free fair line. Already is assur-
ed large display Of both cattle, sheep
and poultry and floral hall will be
utilized fully by the Ionia merchants.
The poultry men had no show last win
ter and will make a special effort to
display their stock. Pet stock will
be included.
War work will be given special at
tention by the Ionia Free Fair man
agement. In addition to the display
of the armored car now overrunning
the battlefields of Europe, there will
be special displays of Red Cross sup
plies our soldiers. are being supplied
with. The Iona chapter of the Red
Cross officers will be there and the
costumes of the Red Cross nurses will
be in evidence.
Still another feature will be the
registration cf all women who are en-
gagged in or desire to take up the work
of nursing. A booth specially arrang-
ed for this registration will be provid-
ed.
The Michigan food administration
will send to the Ionia fair display.
The child welfare movement in charge
of DIR. Genevra Green for Ionia county
will be given special attention. All
children under certain age will be
weighed.
A display Of balloon baskets pilot
seats and pigeon baskets used on the
aviation fields of the United States
and Europe and made in Ionia of reed
will be shown. This will be the first
war display in Ionia of any kind of
supplies made exclusively for war
needs.
While the war department will not
permit airplane flights this year. al
skilled male talent of that kind being
needed on the aviation fields, Ionia VIII
not be without aerial exhibitions. Miss
Brown and Miss Clark who will make
balloon ascensions from the Ionia free
fair grounds each afternoon, using two
balloons are under contract to do a
balloon race that will be more of
thriller than even the airpiIane flights
of last year.
Between the race heats each day
CONTINUED on page FOUR