ADRIAN — For the first time in many years, Beth and Don DeJonghe won’t be working at the Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds during the annual Lenawee County Fair Parade.
But that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily be able to watch the parade in its entirety.
That’s because the DeJonghes, who are invested volunteers with the historic Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds in Adrian, will be taking on a bit of different work for this year’s fair parade, happening at 1 p.m. Sunday in downtown Adrian.
The DeJonghes have the honor of serving as grand marshals in this weekend’s parade — one of the opening events that kicks off Fair Week in Lenawee County, Sunday, July 21 through Saturday, July 27.
The parade lines up on Michigan and College avenues between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday. It traverses through the streets of downtown Adrian heading east on its way toward the fairgrounds. The Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds are at 602 N. Dean St.
Neill’s Towing & Automotive is back again as the fair’s longtime parade sponsor.
The Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds announced the selection of its 2024 parade grand marshals in a Facebook post close to one week ago, as it has been hyping up the community in advance of this year’s fair, themed “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams.”
The Lenawee County Fair continues to hold the title of Michigan’s oldest and longest running fair, since 1839. That distinction is a point of pride for Beth DeJonghe, a nearly 20-year seated member on the Lenawee County Fair Board, representing Macon Township. Beth retired from her fair board service in 2022.
“We have such a unique fair. I think there has been a lot of support for the fair through the years, which is why it is able to be 185 years,” she said. “We also have a great 4H program in this community. There is support throughout the county. A lot of people work tirelessly to make this fair happen.”
Both Beth and Don said one of their favorite things about serving on the fair board was making lifelong friends with other fair board members and their families.
Don served on the fair board for nine years and retired from service earlier this year.
“We have been longtime supporters of the fair and the 4H programs, and we will continue to be even in retirement,” he said. “...It’s been a lot of work, but it’s also been really rewarding.”
The DeJonghes can stake claim to being the first married couple to sit on the fair board at the same time, both of them shared with The Daily Telegram . While Beth was Macon Township’s representative for many years, Don served in a couple of different “fill in” roles on the fair board. For a handful of times, he said, he represented the city of Morenci on the board.
Current officers include President Aaron Hinde, Blissfield Village; Vice President Dawn Barrett, Raisin Township; Secretary Sarah Taylor, Ridgeway Township; and Treasurer Lindsay Garrison, Cambridge Township.
The 30-member fair board is responsible for behind-the-scenes and front-line work of making Fair Week possible. Fair board involvement is a year-round commitment as members work to grow in partnership with local businesses, bring events to the fairgrounds and benefit the community.
As a committee-run fair, Beth said it is important for everyone to pitch in and lend a helping hand.
“We have been thankful to make lifelong friends with a group of devoted and great people,” she said.
The DeJonghes have remained involved with the Lenawee Fair even after their children — Julia (Kyle) Marshall, Justin (Hannah) DeJonghe and Jay DeJonghe — have grown up and moved on from participating in 4H activities and programming.
Beth, giving credit to Jay and Vanda Fisher, who worked tirelessly to put together the fair's history, said she enjoyed the responsibility of fair historian for most of the time she was on the fair board.
“I enjoyed being in the historical building and talking to people who were walking through,” she said.
Don, with the help of his sons, oversaw camp parking for the 4H and open class campers, and they performed a lot of the drainage around the fairgrounds.
“It does feel good when people thank you for doing your job so that there can be a successful fair,” Don said. “It is an awful lot of work that goes into one week of the year.”
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The DeJonghes and their family have been strong supporters and active workers at the Lenawee County Fair for “many, many years,” according to the Fair’s Facebook post.
One of the nominations in support of the DeJonghes as parade grand marshals said, “You won’t find a harder working or dedicated family helping out at the Lenawee County Fair.”
Being nominated and chosen by the fair board as parade grand marshal is an honor, Don said. That same sentiment was echoed by Beth.
“All I can say is ‘thank you,’” he said. “There are a lot of people who put work into the fair.”
“Never did we do any of our work to be recognized,” added Beth.
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman .
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Beth and Don DeJonghe selected as 2024 Lenawee County Fair Parade grand marshals
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