Getting set for fair
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 28, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Amusements of Rochester Inc. workers assemble the Flying Bobs ride at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair on Saturday afternoon in preparation for the fair opening Thursday.
DUDLEY -- The 67th annual Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair opens its gates Thursday at 4 p.m. for 10 days of carnival rides and food, livestock shows, free entertainment, educational and display contests and a variety of other events and activities.
The gates open at 4 p.m. during the week, 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, and 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 and 10.
Tuesday, Oct. 6, is Senior Citizens Day when people 60 and older will be admitted free of charge. The gates will open at noon, and the pie baking contest starts at noon as well.
A salute to senior citizens will start at 3 p.m.
Powers Great American Midway will provide 48 rides including two new ones. The midway will open at 5 p.m. on weekdays. It will open at noon on Saturday, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, and at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4.
Improvements at the fairgrounds on U.S. 117 South will provide more parking and a more brightly lit front parking lot.
Colorful flags have been placed in the parking lots to help people better visualize how to park when they arrive.
However, because of safety concern, no parking will be allowed this year along the path that runs along the front of the fairgrounds.
Advance admission tickets and ride wristbands are available online through noon on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The wristbands are normally $25, but cost $20 online.
Advance adult tickets are $5 online and $7 at the gate.
The tickets may be purchased by going to the fair's website, waynefair.com, and clicking on "buy tickets."
Tickets are $4 for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. There is no admission charge for preschool children.
Popular returning entertainment this year includes hypnotist and comedian Mike Bishop performing twice daily at the East Pavilion, the western gunfight shows and the Almost Amazing Rex at the West Pavilion.
The Queen of the Fair Pageant will be held Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. at the Entertainment Arena.
The cheerleading contest is Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m. at the grandstand.
The Wicked Bull bull riding competition will be held on Monday, Oct. 5, and Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. at the grandstand.
The Ugly Pickup Truck contest will be held Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. at the grandstand followed by the Demolition Derby at 1:30 p.m.
New this year is the Pork Chop Revue on the Center Stage in which the pigs dance, jump and perform stunts.
Several livestock shows will be held Thursday through Sunday under the new 60-by-100-foot pole barn just south of the grandstand.
Bleachers have been placed on the north end of the building. The arena will be in middle and the animal pens at the south end.
The first show will be the Open Junior Market Hog Show on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. The Open Junior Meat Goat Show will be Friday night, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m.
The Open Junior Market Lamb Show is Saturday, Oct. 3, at noon. The Beef Heifer Show is Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m.
Other animal shows are the open halter pony, mule and draft horse, Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. followed by the open halter horse show at 7 p.m.
While there will be plenty of animals to see this year, there will be no chickens or other fowl at the fair because of concerns about avian flu.
The fair, owned by the Wayne County Livestock Development Association, was established in 1948 to promote the county's livestock industry.
It is the fourth-largest fair in the state and was the winner of 2014 Image Award for best large fair in North Carolina.
The association has awarded 121 scholarships totaling $175,700 to Wayne County high school seniors over the past 27 years.
For more information, visit waynefair.com or call 919-735-7277.