Free gates to open on 160th Fayette County Fair

CUTLINE: Ashland Phillips, Allison Larson, and Alida DeGreeff (l-r) were all smiles as they took a spin on the Fayette County Fair midway in 2012. The 160th running of the Fayette County Fair is set to provide happy memories for children of all ages Tuesday, July 23, through Saturday, July 27. (Union file photo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free gates to open on 160th Fayette County Fair

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor 

The 2013 Fayette County Fair features a free gate admission to visitors as everyone is invited to celebrate “160 Years of Wheelin’ and Squealin.’” Meanwhile, all grandstand entertainment during fair week – Tuesday, July 23, through Saturday, July 27 – is $10. Children ages 11 and under will be admitted free.

The grandstand schedule begins Tuesday with 7 p.m. hot laps for the stock car races at Fayette County Speedway with the racing action (regular points night) to follow.

Heartland Rodeo will showcase all of the traditional rodeo action beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24. The grandstand entertainment will also feature a calf scramble.

Two classes of “mudders” will register to participate in the inaugural Mud Bog in the front of the Fayette County Fair grandstand on Thursday, July 25. The 7 p.m. show includes a 35-inch (tire) and Under class, and 36-inch and Over class.

Rock fans of the late ‘70s and ‘80s won’t want to miss the featured grandstand entertainment on Friday, July 26, during the 2013 Fayette County Fair. Taking to the stage will be tribute bands Dead or Alive for Bon Jovi, Paradise City for Guns N’ Roses, and Silver Bullet for Bob Seger.

Following the performance of the opening act (Silver Bullet), the Fayette County Queen Coronation and Pie Auction will be held on the grandstand stage.

Paradise City will then scream out all of the top Guns N’ Roses hits, before Dead or Alive closes out the evening with all the Bon Jovi classics.

The week’s grandstand entertainment concludes Saturday with the 6 p.m. Bus Races and Hell Drivers stunt show.

Prior to the tribute concert, children of all ages won’t want to miss all of the Kids’ Day activities on Friday, July 26. Among the new events are three showings (TBA) of the All-American Lumberjack Show. At the same, the 2013 Fayette County Fair Kids’ Day celebration includes a Children’s Pedal Tractor Pull, Youth Horseshoe Tournament, and a magic show/balloon performance by Mr. Nick.

In addition to the traditional 4-H/FFA/open shows, commercial vendors, and carnival rides throughout the week, the fair board looks forward to welcoming new food vendors, including some who will feature foods from Polashek’s Locker in Protivin, and a State Fair vendor who will be serving fried Klondike Bars, Krispy Kreme cheeseburgers, and fried Jell-o.

Also new to the fair schedule is a “Putting on the Lips” (lip-synching) contest, which will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the fairgrounds on Saturday, July 27. In addition, local bars and their respective bartenders will compete in a Bartenders’ Challenge in the beer tent each night throughout the fair.

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