Let’s say you’re interested in seeing a 10-million-dollar country ham, eating something out-of-the-ordinary battered and fried in hot oil or conversing with a man who wears size 31 shoes.
Or let’s say you’re just as happy getting a taste of country life by browsing stalls of dairy cows, eyeballing the state’s largest pumpkin or admiring a row of colorful handmade quilts.
Either way, you can see it all when the Kentucky State Fair opens this week at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. It runs Aug. 20-30 and the theme is County Traditions, Country Celebration.
There’s plenty to do and see at the fair, including entertainment of all types, children’s activities, consumer exhibits, travel information, health education opportunities, horse shows, 4H and FFA displays and carnival rides.
And food. Lots of food. Including offerings from Kentucky’s experts who raise beef, pork, corn, fish and other commodities.
The fair is open to the public starting at 8 a.m. CT and the closing time varies by day. Hours and ticket prices for the midway of carnival rides is available at the state fair website, kystatefair.org.
Theme days at the fair include Military Sunday (Aug. 23), $5 Monday (Aug. 24), Senior Day (Aug. 25) and Sensory Awareness Day (Aug. 26).
The Texas Roadhouse Concert Series returns with a diverse lineup spanning rock, country, gospel and retro classics in evening concerts included with fair admission. The schedule: Aug. 20, Cooper Alan with JD Shelburne; Aug. 21, Midnight Star with Digital Underground; Aug. 22, Black Stone Cherry with The Goldylocks Band; Aug. 23, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with T.G. Sheppard and Wade Hayes; Aug. 24, Cain with Ben Fuller; Aug. 25, Happy Together Tour featuring The Association, The Trigs, Chicago lead singer Jason Scheff, Gary Puckett, The Fortunes, Ron Dante (of the Archies and The Turtles) and The Vogues; Aug. 26, Ernest with Alex Miller; Aug. 27, Boys Like Girls; Aug. 28, Hairball; and Aug. 29, Foghat and Kentucky Headhunters.
Live music also is available in The BIG Tent, the Budweiser Tent and The Hitching Post.
Other entertainment includes Amazing Aydar, The Groovy Guy Show, Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, Porkchop Revue, Radatz Magic, Sea Lion Splash, Spoon Man, Steve Brogan and Co. and Twin Stunts Motorcycle Stunt Show.
The exhibit halls featuring the competitive entry contests will be jammed full of all sorts of things from amateur photography and fine arts to homemade wine and woven baskets.
And, of course, other competitive exhibits display the best work of 4-H and FFA participants, as well as entries with an agricultural twist from the general public.
Oh, and don’t forget visits with Freddy Farm Bureau (the man with size 31 shoes in front of Freedom Hall.) He has been a fixture of the fair since 1958.
This year the fair offers special exhibits for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
The fair also offers consumer and educational exhibits and much information about our state in Main Street Kentucky and a wealth of information at Just for Seniors in the Heritage Hall.
Health Horizons can update you on the latest health trends, and you can learn more about the counties and all the tourism opportunities they have to offer in the Pride of the Counties exhibit. This year you can visit the Henderson Tourist Commission staff and its volunteers at the Henderson County booth.
There are contests galore, including the Rooster Crowing Contest, the Largest Pumpkin Contest, Little Miss and Mister Kentucky County Fairs Pageant, the Talent Classic and more.
Every question you could have about the fair is answered at the fair’s website. For the answers you need, visitkystatefair.org.
