Like many fair organizers, the Linn County Fair Board faces a challenge in figuring out how to offer entertainment that appeals to local folks while maintaining the agricultural emphasis that is what fairs are about.
This year the Fair is dealing with an additional difficulty as it opens Thursday, July 17, and runs through Sunday, July 20: competition from the Willamette Valley Country Music Festival being held in Brownsville this weekend.
“We’re going head to head with the Willamette Music festival,” said Fair Board Chair Tim McQueary of Sweet Home. “That is unfortunate. We all know people have limited spending money. It’s there and we’ve planned our show.”
Headliners this year are country artists Craig Morgan on Thursday and Terri Clark on Friday and rock band The Guess Who on Saturday, all at 8:30 p.m.
On Sunday Banda San Miguel and Rocio Y Su Sonora will perform Latino music beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Morgan has had back-to-back No. 1 singles with “That’s what I love about Sunday” and “Almost Home” and his current hit, “International Harvester” is quickly moving up the charts. Joe Shinkle and 99 West will open for Morgan at 7 p.m.
Thirteen-time Canadian Country Music awards winner Clark will hit the stage Friday. Clark’s dynamic live performances have wowed audiences across the U.S. Her latest CD, “In My Next Life” tells some personal stories of challenges and triumphs in her life.
The Guess Who began in the 1960’s with such hits as “American Woman” and “Share the Land” and has continued to perform throughout four decades. The Touchables will open the show at 7 p.m.
“We have a three time female country artist of the year and fantastic live performer, Terri Clark, one of the best classic rock bands of our time, the Guess Who and we have a rising country artist in Craig Morgan,” said Tom Ordeman, the Fair’s entertainment director. “The Fair is bringing great music to Linn County.”
The Fair is open 11 a.,m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, an additional two hours, to prevent visitors from feeling rushed.
This year’s schedule begins with Senior Day on Thursday, with free admission for everyone until 5 p.m. After that admission for adults and teens over 12 is $7, with children 6-11 and seniors over 60 $5. Children under 6 are free.
McQueary said some new twists this year include holding the antique tractor show inside the exhibition hall, which is air-conditioned.
“It should be more enjoyable than outside,” he said.
A senior ice cream social is back on the program this year, from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday.
“That has seemed to be real enjoyable,” McQueary said.
Also back this year is the Bull Bash bullriding competition, to be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Calapooia Arena.
On Saturday a draft horse pull will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the arena, followed by Wild and Wooly, in which helmeted youngsters will ride ewes out of the bucking chute.
“People really enjoy it,” McQueary said. “You laugh from start to finish.”
In addition to the mutton bustin’, there will be mini bull riding, buckin’ ponies and barrel racing. Young mutton busters under 60 lbs and 6 years old are being sought to enter and forms are available at the Linn County Fair office or on line at http://www.linncountyfair.com. It is a free event with fair admission. For more information go to the Linn County Fair Web site or call 1-800-858-2005.
A classic car show will be held Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Timber Linn Park. Registration forms are available on the Linn County Fair Web site and there are trophies given away in many categories. Fair-goers can enjoy the car show for free. For more information or to see last year’s winner, visit the Fair Web site at http://www.linncountyfair.com or call 1-800-858-2005.
Another popular event, back for another year, is the KRKT Country Music Showdown in the Main Stage Courtyard, in which local singers will compete starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The 4-H Auction will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in the livestock pavilion.
Along with the main events are walkaround artists, performances by the Rhinestone Ropers, the Jest in Time comedy group, and the Balloon Man, and the carnival.
Pre-sale carnival tickets are available at Heritage Mall in Albany and the Fair office. Tickets are available for $20. For more information, go to the Linn County Fair Web site at http://www.linncountyfair.come or call 1-800-858-2005
McQueary said the board has tried to search for the right combination of events that is still true to the Fair’s roots as an agricultural exhibition. He said another challenge is the rising cost of entertainment, spurred partly by the rocketing fuel prices.
“It costs bands and their entourages more money to get here,” he noted.
As of the weekend, it looked like the weather will be relatively mild with temperatures in the 80s, he said.
“Right now Mother Nature is looking like she’s on our side,” he said. “Hot weather can kill you.”
McQueary said Sweet Home area residents need to remember that the Fair belongs to them.
“The main reason I got involved is that we didn’t have a representative up here (on the Fair Board),” he said. “This is our Fair just as much as it is everybody else’s in Linn County.
“It’s going to be a worthwhile ticket. We’ve got good entertainment for a lower price, more variety, and we deserve (Sweet Home residents’) support because it’s their Fair too.”