Big changes coming to Guernsey County Fair - Daily Jeffersonian | Cambridge OH | Dail... Page 1 of 2

Big changes coming to Guernsey County Fair

Rick Stillion The Daily JeffersonianPublished: May 21, 2013 1:00PM

OLD WASHINGTON -- Major changes abound for the 165th edition of the Guernsey County Fair.

From line-up changes to new entertainment to the elimination of an official day of the week-long fair, patrons of the 2013 Guernsey County may need a program just to keep up.

This year's fair will run from Monday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 14, with some Junior Fair festivities taking place on the Sunday night before the fair officially opens.

"We started with looking at eliminating Sunday as a cost savings measure," said Senior Fair Board President Charlie Anderson. "When we started to juggle things around, the board decided to change several and give it a fresh look. We have had the same things on the same nights for numerous years, so we decided it was time for a change.

"It's basically the same entertainment, but on different nights," added Anderson.

Country singer will be the headline entertainment with a single show at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

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The following is a look at the revamped entertainment line-up at the 2013 Guernsey County Fair:

The Junior Fair Parade and the King and Queen Contest will take place during the evening on Sunday, Sept. 8 prior to the start of the fair. A live band will perform in front of the grandstand following the Junior Fair festivities.

On Monday night, the NTPA Truck and Tractor Pull, a fan-favorite on Thursday nights of years past, will take place in front of the grandstands. While a record number of trucks and tractors participated a year ago, the move allows pullers to participate in the local pull and attend a big points pull later in the week.

The headline entertainment on Tuesday night will be a truck and tractor pull featuring more local pullers.

Harness racing will take to the track during the day on Wednesday with a rodeo before the grandstands at night.

8/20/2013 Big changes coming to Guernsey County Fair - Daily Jeffersonian | Cambridge OH | Dail... Page 2 of 2

The fan-favorite Rough Truck competition moves to Thursday night followed by the demolition derby on Friday night.

A new company, "Smash It," will operate the demolition derby this year with classes including stock cars, built cars, pickup trucks, compact cars, mowers and a youth class for ages 12 to 16.

Also moving to Friday is the Junior Fair Livestock Sale with the addition of a second sale ring.

"The buyers have said the sale takes too long (with one ring)," said Anderson. "I saw two sale rings during a visit to the Coshocton County Fair and we thought we would give it a try. We hope to shorten the sale so it doesn't take 10 to 12 hours like past years."

According to Anderson, both sale venues will start at 9 a.m. with dairy baskets, poultry, sheep, dairy goats, Boer goats and rabbits being sold at one location and swine, feeder calves and dairy feeders at the second location.

The horse pull previously held on Wednesday nights will take place Saturday morning.

Animals not sold during the livestock sale will be released Sunday morning as in past years, but the fairgrounds will not be open to patrons.

General admission for the 2013 fair will be $8 per person, $25 for a season pass or $27 for a membership pass.

Mechanical rides will be open Monday through Saturday at times to be announced.

"We are going to try it this year and see if we like it," said Anderson. [email protected]

8/20/2013