Jul 23, 2002 By Jenny L. Susa 3 min read

This year’s Washington County Agricultural Fair will have some new events and attractions in addition to the traditional ones of previous years, according to fair board members. “We have two new buildings here and we’ll have two more ready before the fair begins,” said Lee Robinson, fair board president. “I’m sure we’ll have something here that we can be proud of.”

The fair officially opens on Saturday, Aug. 10, at noon and runs until Saturday, Aug. 17. Some big events on the fair’s opening day include motorcycle and quad races that are scheduled for 4 p.m., and the Fair Queen Contest at 7 p.m.

Aug. 11 will feature the Tuff Truck Competition at 7 p.m., followed by a performance by magician Mike Super, who won the 2002 Performing Arts Entertainer of the Year award.

A 4-Cylinder Demolition Derby will be held at 8 p.m. on Aug. 12, and will be the last of the day’s events.

Aug. 14 is senior high band day, and the school bus demolition derby is also scheduled for 8 p.m.

William Iams, fair board vice president, said there will be a bus on display at the fair for which raffle tickets will be sold.

“The winner of the drawing will drive that bus in the school bus demolition derby,” said Iams.

The fair’s biggest event will take place on Aug. 15 at 8 p.m., when country singer Aaron Tippin will perform live on stage. According to Robinson, there is no additional charge for the concert. Also appearing at the fair are local bands Thirty Stone and Poverty Neck Hillbillies.

There will also be a mini modified tractor pull on Aug. 16 and a demolition derby on Aug. 17. Fair board secretary Nadene Gardener said that every day at the fair there will be a petting zoo, Farmer for a Day, Swifty’s Racing Pigs and Animals of Distinction, which are animals brought from shelters and trained by Paul Hoskinson to do special tricks. Each day will also feature a performance by Bounce, OOO La La, and Daniel, who provide circus-style entertainment such as juggling, acrobatics, unicycling and puppetry. Other activities include cooking contests, 4-H shows, pet shows, tractor driving contests, a pony pull, a hay hauling contest, harness racing and a 4-H alumni reunion.

The fairgrounds are located north of Washington and south of Pittsburgh at 2151 N. Main St., Arden. The gates will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and commercial displays are open at 11 a.m. The cost of admission to the fair is $6 before 4 p.m. and $8 after that. There is no additional charge for any rides or shows after entrance.

“We’ve been happy with the attendance at the fair in past years. We think we’ve had about 85,000 people attending each year,” said Robinson. “We hope the new buildings will boost attendance, but we also hope that people will want to come and see everything at the fair. We feel we really have something good to offer.”