Major changes are in the air for the 51st annual Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair, which kicks off Oct. 15 with a parade through downtown Statesboro at 5 p.m.
The fair allows the Statesboro Kiwanis Club to give monetary donations to community organizations. Last year, members were able to give more than $200,000 to organizations including Ogeechee Area Hospice, Boys and Girls Club, 4-H, Red Cross, FFA, Special Olympics, law enforcement groups, and the Statesboro Food Bank, Fair Chairman Don Poe said.
While the fairgrounds, located on Georgia Highway 67 just outside of Statesboro, underwent a major facelift last year for the club’s 50th anniversary, more improvements will be seen this fall.
About $40,000 in improvements to Heritage Village food alley include new block walls, metal studs, new screening , electrical and plumbing , Poe said.
“We felt it was worth the investment because these booths are used by local churches, organizations and small businesses as a major part of fundraisers each year,” he said.
Club members and volunteers have worked each Saturday as well as other times, and now the 4-H exhibit building has been refurbished,  repaired and repainted, including hundreds of mini booths.
The popular Pancake House also received an secret recipe so the pancakes and sausages will be just as good,” Poe quipped.
The 4-H food booth also has been reworked. The booth is a major fundraiser for area clubs. The fair serves Bulloch, Bryan, Evans, Candler, Jenkins, Screven and Tattnall counties and 4-H and FFA clubs from all those counties participate in the food booth and in exhibits.
Other major changes might not be as popular but are necessary for the club, especially considering expenses incurred in making the fairgrounds a better and more pleasant place for families to enjoy, Poe said.
Admission is no longer free on Mondays. Like other days, it will cost $5 to enter the gates, but if you bring a canned good for donation to the Statesboro Food Bank, you get $2 off the admission price per person, per donation of a canned good.
The discount for canned goods is only good on Monday, and children under 6 are still free, he said.
On Wednesday, student admission is not free, as in the past, but will be $1. Students (high school and college) must show ID to get the discount; otherwise, admission is $5.
 Seniors still get in free on Tuesday. On Thursday, military and retired military with ID get in free.
Popular with teens and adventurous adults, wrist stamps will still be sold on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These are good for as many rides, as many times, as a bearer desires. Tuesday and Thursday, the wrist stamps will be $18, and Saturday stamps will cost $20.
Friday night is “Midnight Madness” with stamps not being sold until later in the evening, and good until closing, which extends past midnight. The cost of the stamp that night is $15.
Amusements of America will return with the midway filled with new rides, games of chance and fun for all, with a special kiddie ride section. Entertainment will be provided nightly, with gospel on Saturday night, Poe said.
Also, Sam’s Path petting zoo will return with even more animals than last year.  Chase’s Racing and Swimming Pigs will return, as well as exhibits and displays by “Rust and Flame” blacksmiths.
Newcomers  “The Almost Amazing Rex” father-and-son magicians will be featured on the Heritage Stage, an addition built last year, and  Lovey’s FunTasTic Kids Show with Lovey the  Clown will draw smiles and laughter.
And, “the ‘Blues Brothers’ may be seen at anytime, anywhere on grounds,” Poe said.
Miss Rodeo USA, Trisha Smeenk, will be there nightly to promote the Statesboro Kiwanis Rodeo, held in April.

Holli Deal Bragg maybe reached at (912) 489-9414.