KNOWLESVILLE – If you missed Gretta Smith’s winning performance at the Orleans County 4-H Fair Karaoke Challenge Finals on Thursday, you can watch it here.

Gretta’s performance earned her the $500 first-place award for her rendition of “You’re Going To Miss Me When I’m Gone (Cup Song)” by Anna Kendrick.

Gretta’s mother, Shelly Smith, provided the video.

Albion girl takes crown with the ‘Cup Song’

Photos by Tom Rivers – Rich Nolan of Medina, the defending champion of the Orleans County karaoke contest, sings “How I Got To Be This Way” during the karaoke finals on Thursday. Nolan finished second overall.

Jessica Reigle of Albion, another past champion, sings “Forget You,” which earned her a fourth place finish overall in this year’s competition.

KNOWLESVILLE – She almost didn’t enter the competition, but Gretta Smith agreed to give karaoke a try on Monday after some coaxing from her friends and family.

The 17-year-old did well enough Monday to advance to the finals on Thursday. She left with first prize, a trophy and $500.

Smith sang “You’re Going To Miss Me When I’m Gone (Cup Song)” by Anna Kendrick. Smith sang it a capella, and performed the cup and table tapping routine made famous by Kendrick. Smith impressed her friends and teachers with the song when she did it at an Albion talent show.

On Monday at the fair, she almost didn’t sign up for karaoke.

“We begged her to do it,” said her mother Shelly Smith.

Her daughter has tended to shun solo performances. But she isn’t a stranger to the stage, performing with groups in dance, chorus and musicals.

She just graduated from Albion and will be attending Monroe Community College in the fall as an undecided major.

She won an entertaining karaoke competition, edging last year’s winner, 22-year-old Rich Nolan of Medina. Nolan works as an assistant manager at Tops in Medina on the night shift. Smith also works at the Tops in Albion as a cashier.

Nolan gave a high-energy performance of “How I Got To Be This Way” by Justin Moore. Nolan was back and forth on the stage and his voice filled the fairgrounds. He would like to join a band and perform more in public.

“I just enjoy singing and seeing people’s reactions,” he said.

M & T Bank put up $1,000 in prize money that was shared by the top five performers. Other award winners include Taylor Whittier in third place with “Highway To Hell,” Jessica Reigle in fourth with “Forget You,” and Lydia Piazza in fifth with “Red High Heels.”

Bob Lash sings “Boys Round Here” during the karaoke finals.

Olivia Redick of Kendall performs “Bless This Broken Road” during karaoke on Thursday.

Photos by Tom Rivers

Tonight is the pie-eating contest at the Orleans County 4-H Fair, and it has proven to be a glorious messy affair. Nick Wright, 11, of Holley is all smiles after plunging face first into a raspberry pie.

Tamara Stratton, 11, of Kendall devours an apple pie. She is seated between John Gabalski, 12, of Byron at left and Nick Wright, 11, of Holley.

The pie-eating contest draws a big crowd to the Curtis Pavilion. Brown’s Berry Patch of Waterport donates the pies for the event.

James Trembley, 6, of Barre has some peach pie chunks on his face after his joyful turn in the pie-eating contest.

Photos by Tom Rivers

The Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville basked in fireworks tonight on a busy day with a big crowd at the fair.

The week-long event has enjoyed good weather, which produced another fine sunset this evening.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County 4-H Fair is batting 1.000 in the sunset department with three stunning sunsets the first three days of the fair.

Here’s how it looked on Wednesday night.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Grease Partiers made it to the top of a slathered telephone pole. Part of the team includes, from left: Raymond Austin of Knowlesville, Summer Prentice of Oakfield, Patrick Sewar of Knowlesville and John Ireland of Brockport.

Patrick Sewar, a member of the Grease Partiers, is the top man during a grease pole climb Wednesday night at the Orleans County 4-H Fair. Several hundred people turn out to watch the competition each night at 10 p.m.

KNOWLESVILLE It caps off most nights at the fair, drawing hundreds of people gathered around a telephone pole.

The grease pole competition is a proven crowd pleaser, who cheer and laugh as the competitors desperately try to climb the top of grease-slathered pole. It’s not easy for the teams, which need to stack four or five climbers, a tower of people standing one on top of the other.

It’s hard to do with a slick pole.

The Rough N Ready team debuted at the 2011 fair and they’ve gotten better. Last year it took them 48 seconds to get to the top. They did it in 30 seconds on Wednesday.

They practiced on a dry pole before the competition. Team captain Nic Elliott believes the team can lower its time at Saturday’s finals. The fastest team each night advances to championship on Saturday at 10 p.m. The winning team usually has a time around 20 seconds.

John Ireland of Brockport has the top position while Josh Avila of Clarendon, lower left, gets ready to climb.

Elliott and his Rough N Ready mates will talk strategy and look for ways to trim seconds off the climb. The group ranges in age from 18 to 23. Many of them are firefighters and self-described “good ole’ boys.”

Steven Papponetti, 20, of Albion left with several splinters in his hands after the climb. He was the high climber, the one who reached the top. Papponetti said he has improved from last year.

“It’s a lot of trial and error,” he said.

He puts his hands on the shoulder of each teammate on the tower, then puts his feet on their hips, and then his feet to their shoulders, before ascending another person.

Veteran climbers learn to tightly duct tape their waists so teammates have sturdy support on what can be a slippery experience.

Alex Graff of Rochester hangs on tight on top while Josh Avila of Clarendon provides steady support below.

Rough N Ready won on Wednesday, but another team impressed the crowd. The Grease Partiers took about five minutes to get to the top. They didn’t have duct tape and the team didn’t have experience with the competition. They struggled, and Rough N Ready members helped them get to the top.

The Partiers had grease all over their clothes, arms and ears.

John Ireland, 32, of Brockport was talked into giving it a try. He and his teammates were euphoric when it was over.

“It was a blast,” he said.

The team can try again later this week to try to qualify for the finals.

The Rough N Ready team huddles before the competition, the last event of day at the fair.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Allana Ramos, 21, of Lyndonville performs “What the Water Gave Me” by Florence and the Machine during karaoke Wednesday at the fair.

Bailey Flint, 17, of Holley sings Miranda Lambert’s “Famous in a Small Town.”

KNOWLESVILLE – The fair offers a platform for people to belt out a tune in front of an energetic crowd. On Wednesday, Brad London of Albion again hosted karaoke, which included a mix of country, rock and other foot-tapping music.

The best performers from each karaoke night will square off tonight with the karaoke finals beginning at 8 p.m. when $1,000 in prizes will be awarded.

Michelle Kozlowski, 18, of Middleport performs “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar during the fair on Wednesday.