The 59th annual Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair began Monday as it always does — with the Fair Parade in downtown Statesboro. Dozens of floats, tractors, clubs, beauty queens and businesses marched down Main Street on a sunny fall afternoon.

After not staging the Fair in 2020 due to COVID-19, Fair Chairman Danny Beall said the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro is looking forward to providing family fun for Bulloch and surrounding counties.

“We’re super excited to be open this year for kids from 0 to 100,” he said.

Admission tickets may be purchased by clicking on the “Buy Tickets” link on the Fair’s website, www.kiwanisogeecheefair.org. Tickets purchased in advance online are $8, while admission at the gate is $10.

The Fair expanded its hours for this year. It will open Tuesday through Friday at 4 p.m. and remain open until midnight, with the ticket selling windows closing at 10 p.m. On Saturday, the Fair will be open from noon to midnight, and there will be Moonlight Madness on Friday, remaining open until 1 a.m.

Wristbands will be available for purchase each night, which provides unlimited rides.

Amusements of America, which has worked with the Statesboro Kiwanis Club for nearly 40 years, will stage its midway of rides, games and food.

Events this year include livestock shows, concerts, a magician and many other attractions. The complete schedule of entertainment and livestock shows is available at www.kiwanisogeecheefair.org.

The club will provide sanitation stations throughout the fairgrounds and extra precautionary measures will be taken to guard against COVID-19. While masks will not be required, they are encouraged for the safety of all fair-goers, as well as the volunteers who work to put on the six-day event.