Cumberland County Fair opens with full lineup of special days through Sept. 10

The Cumberland County Fair opened Friday at the Crown Complex and will run through Sept. 10.

The fair celebrates the county’s agricultural heritage and combines family fun, informative agricultural exhibits, an art show and entertainment with amusement rides and food booths.

The fair schedule and a list of exhibits is at cumberlandcountyfair.org and Facebook.com/CCFairNC.

For the first time, the fair will offer a sensory-friendly time from noon to 3 p.m. Monday, when it will operate with limited rides, no music and no lights to accommodate those who require limited sensory stimuli, according to a county news release.

The fair will include amusement rides, livestock shows, games, a beer garden and a daily lineup of live music. New this year are a fire performer, the return of helicopter rides, freestyle motocross trick riders, magic shows, live audience-participation game shows and more.

The Step Show and Dance Showcase and pageant will also return, the release said.

The food lineup includes turkey legs, corn dogs, funnel cakes and fresh lemonade. More than 20 food trucks, including Kwon’s Kitchen, Tropical Sno and Bella Nonna Italian, will be on site.

Contests and junior livestock shows

Exhibit contests will include seasonal entries, clothing, arts and crafts, handicrafts, canned fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, baked goods, floriculture, agriculture and horticulture.

Junior Livestock Shows are as follows:

• Market lambs, 1 p.m. Saturday.
• Meat goats, 6 p.m. Saturday.
• Market hogs, feeder calf, and steer show, Wednesday.
• Beef heifers, 7 p.m. Sept. 8.

The annual “Little Ewe” Jump Start Livestock Clinic for children ages 2 to 4 will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday. This clinic provides youths an opportunity to learn the process and techniques of showing livestock in an effort to encourage future livestock show participation, the release said. Ribbons will be awarded.

The annual Livestock Show and Sale will follow. Area youths will bring ring hogs, feed calves and steers for judging. Showmen are responsible for raising and working with their animals.

On select days, the Cape Fear Valley Mobile Blood Donation unit will be on site and offering free admission tickets to its first 50 donors. 

The schedule for special days includes:

• Saturday, open at 1 p.m.: $10 admission for adults and children 3 or older.
• Sunday, open at 1 p.m.: Faith and Family Day offers $5 off with the presentation of a church bulletin.
• Monday, open at noon: Sensory Day from noon-3 p.m. offers limited rides with no music and no lights with regular fair operations resuming after 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, open at 5 p.m.: $2 entry; wristbands can be purchased separately.
• Wednesday, open at 5 p.m.: BOGO night and Senior Night: BOGO ride wristbands, hot dogs, corn dogs, funnel cakes and fried Oreos at B&B Concessions. Seniors 65 and older get free entry.
• Thursday, open at 5 p.m.: A Day of Giving sponsored by the United Way/4-H, and FFA Day/School Kids and Personnel Day with $2 entry with school ID.
• 8, open at 5 p.m.: $10 admission for adults and children 3 and older.
• 9, open at 1 p.m.: $10 admission for adults and children 3 and older.
• 10, open at 1 p.m.: Free admission for military and first responders with valid ID. All others, $10 for adults and children 3 and older.

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