Full slate of activities await at the Presque Isle County Fair:

Every year there seems to be more to enjoy about the Presque Isle County Fair. The list of events and activities which the whole family will enjoy continues to grow, as has the attendance. The fair, which begins Wednesday, August 24 with youth and open class entry registration, gets into full swing August 25 with four full days of activities. There will be fair exhibits and animal displays, a petting zoo each day, special attractions, free amusement rides, a chicken dinner, a queen?s pageant, and various events at the new fairground grandstand.

ONE OF THE noticeable differences on the fairgrounds in Millersburg is the addition of the second barn building, which will house livestock entries such as steer, heifers, horses, sheep, goats, and swine. The new grey animal barn was built with donations from several businesses and organizations, along with proceeds from last year?s event. A donor recognition name plaque will be added in the new barn for people to see, according to Chris Hoffmeyer, who is in charge of media relations.

The smaller animals will be housed under a tent cover this year with the hope of adding winged additions to the new grey barn in the next year or two. The original green barn will house handcrafted items along with agricultural entries this year. Hoffmeyer said there has been a great donation response from county businesses which has made it possible to add several events. The demolition derby is Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. at the new fairground grandstand area. The mud bog races are Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. and include three classes (midsize, full size, and open).

?We are still accepting applications for the derby and mud bog races,? Hoffmeyer said. The Tip of the Mitt Antique Tractor Association will have a nine class antique tractor pull competition on the final day of the fair, Sunday, August 28 at noon.

THE QUEEN?S PAGEANT begins the fair events Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in the entertainment tent. There are five contestants; three are from Rogers City and one each is from Millersburg and Onaway. Schmidt Amusements will be providing free daily amusement rides with a $2 gate entrance fee. Rides include a giant slide, the dark house rollercoaster, the strawberry swirl ride, and a yet-to-be-announced attraction. With the purchase of a daily entrance ticket, visitors are entered into the End-of-the-Day-Raffle. Some of the prizes include round t

rip ferry tickets to Mackinac Island and tickets for the Mackinac Island carriage tours, four entrance tickets to Wings on Mackinac Island, Kandy Korn from Alice?s Kandy & Korn, a large Manzana’s Special pizza, and mini vacuums from Independent Bank.

The fair board has brought in the ?Purple Thunder Monster Truck? to provide rides and a mechanical riding bull. Both require an extra fee. The person with longest bull ride during the fair will earn trophies. There will be heavy horse pulls, garden tractor races, a horse speed show, karaoke, and ?The Over the Hill Gang? providing entertainment in the tent.

The Millersburg Eagles will be cooking chicken dinners starting Saturday at 2 p.m. More information on events and schedules are available on the fair website www.infowire.biz, under county fairs.

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