DUNKIRK - The 129th Chautauqua County Fair is under way at the fairgrounds in Dunkirk, bringing with it plenty of fun for the whole family.
Carnival-style food, midway rides and grandstand shows will be all the rage through Sunday, as tens of thousands of people will file through the gates near the corner of Central Avenue and Waldorff Road in Dunkirk. After kicking off Monday with events including harness racing, the 4-H Dog Show and a classic car cruise-in, the annual celebration of all things Chautauqua County will only continue to wow crowds as the week progresses.
The Arthur R. Maytum Family Theater will feature performances every day throughout the week from a variety of performers sure to entertain everyone from toddler to grandparent. Today, beginning at 10 a.m., the stage is the battleground for the Upstate Farms Youth Talent Search Dance Competition. Wednesday evening at 5:30, a cheer and dance extravaganza will be in the theater. Thursday night at 7, Elvis Presley tribute artist Terry Buchwald will perform. And Saturday night at 8, Eddie Rosas' ''La Krema'' will be in concert.
Article Photos
Robert Warsitz, B-145, collides with another vehicle during the Demolition Derby at last year’s Chautauqua County Fair. The 129th Chautauqua County Fair is currently under way, bringing with it plenty of fun for the whole family.
P-J file photo
Supplementing these featured acts during the week in the Family Theater are daily showtimes for the Smudge Fundaes Show and the Dazzling Mills Family, as well as other shows by Matteson Kempo Karate, Infinity Performing Arts, 23 SkiDoo, Chadwick Bay Academy of Dance, the Dunkirk Middle School Band, the Lucille Ball Little Theater Junior Guilders, Danza! Performing Arts Academy, and many other performers.
Budweiser Grandstand shows during the week will include the Championship Demolition Derby tonight, the Mini-Modified Tractor Pull on Wednesday night, the New York State Horse Pulling Competition on Thursday night, the Extreme Motorcycle Motocross Show on Friday night, a bull-riding competition on Saturday night, and the Championship Demolition Derby finals on Sunday afternoon.
More than 1,000 animals will be at the fair to be seen as well - including cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, poultry and more. Throughout the week, the Warren K. Brown Show Arena will feature cattle shows, while the goat and rabbit barns will also have shows of those animals. The horse show area of the fairgrounds will have events beginning Wednesday, while the Brown Arena will host the annual 4-H meat animal sale at noon Friday.
In addition to the animal exhibits, there are more than 2,000 projects on display in the 4-H Building. Emily Kidd, leader of the county 4-H Youth Development Program, said that youth who are involved in 4-H see the fair as their opportunity to showcase their talents for the whole county.
''Those are projects they have been developing their skills for all year and in some cases multiple years,'' Ms. Kidd said. ''This is really their celebration and opportunity to let everyone else see what they've done.''
Pay-one-price admission tickets are available at the fairground gates for $8 through Thursday and $9 for Friday through Sunday. Tickets include unlimited mechanical midway rides and all events in the Warren K. Brown Show Arena, Arthur R. Maytum Family Theater and Budweiser Grandstand, with the exception of reserved seating for the demolition derby. People 62 and older will receive their admission for half-price.
The fair opens at 9 a.m. each morning, and rides begin at 1 p.m. For more information, visit on the Web at www.chautauquacountyfair.org.