The Wood County Fair’s annual Flower Show offers fairgoers of all ages the opportunity to see and learn about a variety of different flowers.

Located in the Home and Garden building at the fairgrounds are hundreds of flowers and other plants.

These flowers have all been entered into the fair’s annual flower show, where they were judged Monday afternoon. On Friday, participants will have the opportunity to enter new flowers into the show and they will be judged that afternoon.

The gardeners and owners of these flowers have spent most of their summer preparing for the fair.

Chad Van Buskirk, who is entering his flowers into the fair for the second year, said he hopes people come out and see all the hard work he and his fellow gardeners put into their plants.

“I just think it’s a great chance to see so many members of the community taking pride in the different hobbies and activities and investments that they’ve made,” he said.

While he hopes to win a ribbon, Van Buskirk said his main goal is to just to have fun and enjoy the fair.

“It’d be wonderful to come back tonight and find at least a couple of the plants had placed,” Van Buskirk said. “But it’s also, one of the things I love about the show, is it’s up for several days. So in addition to getting to see what your own plants did, it’s a really great learning opportunity.”

While Van Buskirk is new to the fair, many of the other gardeners have been entering flowers for many years.

Dorothy Cromley has been entering flowers since 1953. Throughout the years, she has grown many different flowers, but this year she has focused on mostly sunflowers and perennials.

Cromley said she continues to come back year after year because she likes to help grow the flower show and the fair itself.

“There’s a lot to learn and a lot to see,” she said.

The opportunity to see so many varieties of flowers in one place gives fairgoers the chance to learn about flowers and how important they are for our planet.

Audrey Palumbo, who has been entering flowers into the fair for many years, said she thinks the flower exhibits are important for people to see. She also said she hopes they encourage people, especially kids, to plant their own flowers.

“If you can get your kids out here, so they can see the flowers, and they say, ‘Oh maybe I could have some of those in my yard,’ that would be fantastic,” she said.

The learning opportunities aren’t the only reason these gardeners keep coming back.

Cheryl Menard, who has also entered flowers for many years, said she loves to keep coming back to see the friends she has made and to meet new people.

“It’s all about the people I meet and the friends I meet,” she said.

The flower exhibits will be available to view all week in the Home and Garden building at the Wood County Fair.

“I think it’s just really great to kind of get out and see all of the exciting things that are happening in the community,” Van Buskirk said. “This is a chance where you can see all the wonderful things people have been working on.”