A day of food, fun, and prizes is planned for the Super Saturday Family Fair and 4-H Expo Saturday, September 26, at Little Bear East Arena in St. Ignace.

Organizer George Ford said the annual event, which began in 2005, is a chance for local youth to enjoy the fun of a fair, since Mackinac County has no county fair.

"It's just a bunch of local people getting together and having a good time," Mr. Ford said. "It's for the kids."

The day's festivities, running from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., include games, animals, visits from fire trucks and Coast Guard boats, crafts, stories, door prizes, and the popular "balloon man," Ken Anstice from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

"He was probably the most popular person there last year," Mr. Ford said.

The Lions Club of St. Ignace is providing hot dogs, soda pop, and water free of charge for participants this year. The St. Ignace Masonic Lodge, Moose Lodge 999, and St. Ignace Kiwanis Clubs are other service clubs participating.

Community outreach and education are part of the fair, with booths from community organizations including the library, local police, the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club, 4-H, the health department, and others.

The event, which costs about $900, is funded through donations from various community organizations, businesses, and individuals.

The fair was formerly funded in part by the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (ISD), but budget constraints have caused the ISD to pull the plug on funds for the event. The district does still participate in the planning of the fair and will have a booth this year.

Mr. Ford said he is hopeful about the future of the fair, which started five years ago with a couple hundred attendees, and grew to about 500 last year.

"It seems to get bigger every year," he said. "People have seen this grow and I think they're actually kind of proud of it."

"This is our substitute to having a county fair," he said. "Everything is free. It's just some fun for the kids for an afternoon."