Fair is more than fun and games

Can you imagine pink puffs of cotton candy melting on your tongue, funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar and corn dogs still sizzling from the fryer?

OK, now wipe off that drool and make plans to go to the Iredell County Agricultural Fair in Troutman.

And there is more to the fair than food.

“We think we’ve gotten one of the best lineups that we’ve had in years,” said Ken Vaughn, the director of the County Cooperative Extension Service.

Jim Head, with the Kiwanis Club of Statesville, said there will be 35 rides and games.

“We have one of the best entertainment schedules we’ve ever had,” Head said.

“We are looking for a great fair.”

The local band The Verge is expected to take the stage Monday and Tuesday.

“We got racing pigs and baby bull racing this year,” Head said.

The demolition derby will be open again, and on Saturday, they’re breaking out the lawn mowers.

For the first time, the fair is featuring AMRA Lawnmower Racing.

Head said the sanctioned event has about 200 lawn mower drivers.

“I think that will be quite a popular event,” Vaughn said. “It’s just kind of exciting.”

A local Troutman manufacturer has given fair organizers permission to use a field near the fairgrounds for additional parking, so it won’t be a crowded this year, Head said.

“We are looking forward to that because we had to cram things in the past couple of years,” he said.

Vaughn expects this year’s agricultural exhibits to be good, especially the ones displaying beef and dairy cattle.

“I’ve got some stuff already in the main exhibit hall,” he said.

He is a little nervous about the effects of the recent drought on the horticulture exhibits.

“That is my one concern. How is it going to affect the flower exhibit?” he said.

Fair officials will be accepting entries from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.

“I just love a fair, and I enjoy working with the people,” Vaughn said. “I think a lot of people enjoy it, too.”

Gates for the fair open daily at 5 p.m. Shows last from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and rides are open from 5 p.m. until midnight.

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