The gates opened this morning on the 2009 edition of the Wood County Fair.
Thousands of hours of labor went into setting up the various booths, exhibits and shows which will greet
visitors through Monday at the corner of Poe and Haskins roads.
One last-minute addition is an attraction just inside the main gates off Poe Road. Nojoe’s Clown Circus
will have one show daily tonight through Thursday at 9 p.m. and three shows daily Friday through Sunday.
Friday show times are 3, 6 and 9 p.m.; while they will perform at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. on both Saturday and
Sunday.
Joey "Nojoe" Thurmond and his 16-year-old son, Tyler "Toot," are the clowns in the
show; although they may have guest clowns join them on occasion. Nojoe is the reigning "Clown of
the Year" as named by the Family Entertainers Association. Both are nominated this year, making
Toot the youngest to earn such a nomination.
Both clowns juggle, alone and together; while Nojoe is noted for his balancing act, including balancing
items such as a large stepladder, a shopping cart or a bicycle on one hand.
"I like to use odd-shaped and familiar things people can relate to," Nojoe said. CLICK
HERE TO WATCH FAIR VIDEOS
Toot will also do a tight wire act as he performs seven feet above the ground.
Nojoe’s wife, Jamie Thurmond is also part of the show, although she does not get involved as a clown. She
serves on the sound board, and also performs a non-clown routine in some of their shows.
She indicated both Nojoe and Toot are fun for kids and adults. She said the show includes a lot of clean
fun and slapstick humor.
"I look out at their faces during the show and they are all laughing," she said of the
audience.
The act is based out of the Atlanta area and performs on the road full time with roughly 600 shows a
year.
They were literally booked on Sunday night for the Wood County Fair.
Scheduled to bring their show from Sidney last week to a Kentucky fair; however, that fair was canceled
at the last minute, leaving them with an open week.
Thurmond called the Wood County Fair, and fair officials knew of the act and gladly made room for them.

On Monday the clown circus joined countless other vendors, concessionaires, and volunteers getting
everything ready for the steady stream of visitors who will pass through the gates this week.
FFA advisers and members, along with 4-H members and advisers were putting finishing touches on their
displays in the Junior Fair Building. Workers were landscaping with mulch around the Wood County Parks
District display. Vendors were setting up their trailers and tents. Fair board members were assisting
with the various projects, answering questions and otherwise putting the final touches on the grounds.

Other preparations are being made including finishing touches on many of the combines to be used in the
Combine Demolition Derby on Sunday night.
Josh Main, an Otsego FFA student, purchased a combine for the derby and drove it 117 miles to get it
here.
Dave Nietz, entertainment chairman for the fair, also announced the other show times for the week. The
Team Extreme Motocross Trial show, will be staged at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. tonight through Thursday. With
shows at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Swifty Swine pig racing will be held at 3, 5 and 7 p.m. daily through Sunday. A noon show will be added
Friday through Sunday, with a 9 p.m. race on both Friday and Saturday.
None of the shows will be staged on Monday.
Dennis Beach, the chainsaw carver will have shows daily at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
It’s fair week in Wood County, so, as the Stephen Sondheim song says, "Send in the clowns. … Don’t
bother, they’re here."