FAIR SCHEDULE
Monday
5 p.m. - Parade through downtown Statesboro.
6 p.m. - Fairgrounds gates open. Admission is $5, with a $2 discount with a canned good donation. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
11 p.m. -Fairgrounds close.
Tuesday
4 p.m. - Gates open. Senior Citizens Day with discounted admission. Wrist stamps for $18 admit bearer to all rides on an unlimited basis. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
6 p.m. - Market Hog and Breeding Gilt show.
11 p.m. - Fairgrounds close.
Wednesday
4 p.m. - Gates open. Student Day with discounted admission. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
6 p.m. - Market Goat Show.
11 p.m. - Fairgrounds close.
Thursday
4 p.m. - Gates open. Military Appreciation Day with discounts for those with military ID. Wrist stamps for $18 admit bearer to all rides on an unlimited basis. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
6 p.m. - Market Lamb and Breeding Ewe show.
11 p.m. - Fairgrounds close.
Friday
4 p.m. - Gates open. Moonlight Madness with $15 wrist stamps that admit bearer to all rides on an unlimited basis. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
11 p.m. - Gates close.
Saturday
1 p.m. - Gates open. Kiddie Land special: $1 a ride, kiddie land only. Wrist Stamps for $20 all day admit bearer to all rides on an unlimited basis. All exhibits free; live entertainment.
2 p.m. - Steer and Heifer Show.
10 p.m. - Gates close. No ticket sales or readmission after this time.
Midnight - Fair shuts down.
Amusements of America, the company that provides the midway for the annual Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair, will bring new thrill rides to the scene as "fair week" kicks off Monday.
The annual event brings six days of wild rides, fun games of chance, art displays, club projects and historical exhibits, said fair chairman Walter Pease.
"Y'all come on and enjoy the fair," he said. "The weather looks like it's going to be wonderful."
A parade through downtown Statesboro precedes the opening night, starting at 5 p.m.
The fairgrounds, located on Fair Road (Georgia Highway 67) a few miles south of Veterans Memorial Parkway, open at 6 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults, but a canned good to be given to the Statesboro Food Bank will get a $2 discount.
Pease said new entertainment, including a gospel show Tuesday, a small band Wednesday, a petting zoo nightly and other attractions, will join the commercial exhibits, livestock shows, and educational booths. Food of all kinds, including pancakes and sausage, barbecue, hot dogs, hamburgers and other fare from local vendors and traditional "fair food" from midway vendors will lure folks to try funnel cakes, Italian sausages, fried Twinkies and more.
Robbie Vivona, general manager for Amusements of America, said a new ride will be the Swing Tower, which lifts riders 80 feet into the air, twice as high as the traditional swing ride. The "Zero Gravity" is like the popular ride "The Gravitron," but is open and tilts and a sharper angle. The "Disco" is a "large disc that spins at crazy angles," and smaller kids will enjoy the Kiddie Land section that features rides such as the "Wiggle Worm."
The fair is a family-oriented event and alcoholic beverages, drugs, violence and disorderly behavior are not tolerated. Statesboro Kiwanis Club members will be easily spotted wearing either light blue or yellow shirts and will be available to assist visitors, Pease said.
The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office also has a presence at the fair nightly, and rules will be enforced. The main objective for the fair is to provide a safe, fun environment for the event, which raises thousands of dollars annually for a variety of local charities and programs.
The fair will close Saturday night.
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.