WS Chronicle

During the Winston-Salem City Council Meeting on Monday, Dec. 3, Mayor Allen Joines presented a resolution recognizing David L. Sparks for 30 years of service to the City of Winston-Salem and the Dixie Classic Fair.

Sparks, who served as the director of the Dixie Classic Fair for 25 years, joined the “Fall Classic” in 1988 as assistant director, and five years later he was promoted to director. Under his leadership, the Dixie Classic Fair has grown into the second largest agricultural fair in North Carolina, and non-fair facility bookings increased by 75 percent. Sparks also oversaw more than $10.2 million in capital improvements to buildings and infrastructure, including the Neil Bolton Home and Garden Building, the Thomas Fredericks Clock Tower, new entranceways, the development of Yesterday Village, and improvements to the Kiddieland area and midway.

Before presenting Sparks with a copy of the resolution, Mayor Allen Joines thanked him for his service to the city.

“On behalf of City Council and more importantly the citizens of Winston-Salem, we want to thank you very much for your service to the city and the people of Northwest North Carolina,” Joines said.

Sparks, who announced his retirement earlier this year, said he was humbled by the honor. ”I want to thank you all for this recognition. It’s humbling and it means a lot to me.

“I can tell you 30 years goes by a lot faster than I imagined when I first started, but I want to thank you all for your support of the Fair and the Fairgrounds over the years, and I look forward for your continued support.”