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| Late summer fun at the Maryland State Fair |
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| By Jordan Bartel, Times Staff Writer |
Saturday, August 25, 2007 |
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If it's difficult to find something to do this summer the whole family can agree on, it may be a safe bet to try the Maryland State Fair.
The only difficult thing will be deciding what to do first.
Now in its 126th year, the 11-day festival in Timonium includes thousands of home arts and agricultural exhibits, daily livestock shows, live entertainment and the ever-popular midway, packed with rides and games.
Overwhelmed by the multitude of offerings? Here's a cheat sheet of some highlights this year:
Rides and entertainment
At its humble beginnings, the rides at the Maryland State Fair meant greased pole climbs and sack races. They've come a long way. Now, the midway includes more than 40 rides with names like zero gravity, extreme and starship. If those names scare you, there's also the innocent spin the apple and the circus train. The midway opens at 10 a.m. on weekends, noon on weekdays and stays open late on selected nights. Some discount nights include the ridemania preview night from 5 to 11 tonight. Fairgoers can pay only $15 to ride all the rides they wish (or their stomach can stand). On Labor Day, Sept. 3, fairgoers can pay $20 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the same deal.
J Bar W Ranch will host its Battle of the Beast bull riding at 7 p.m. Monday in the Maryland State Fair Show Ring. The contest includes 25 International Bull Rider Association riders competing to ride some of the toughest bulls in rodeo. Yikes.
The fair's infield this year hosts a handful of national music acts. Country gospel band Austin's Bridge starts things off with a 7:30 p.m. show Wednesday. Admission is free. Country superstar John Michael Montgomery takes the stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 31. Tickets are $15 in advance (which includes fair admission) at www.ticketstobuy.com. Day of show is $15 plus fair admission. INXS comes to town at 7 p.m. Sept. 1. Tickets are $20 in advance (includes fair admission) at www.ticketstobuy.com or $20 day of show (plus fair admission). Rounding things out is classic rock jam band Dark Star Orchestra with Tea Leaf Green at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2. Tickets are $15 in advance, $15 day of show plus fair admission.
Animals
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The 4-H & FFA Livestock Sale, with youth showing off their prize steer, lamb, goats and market hogs, takes place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Cow Palace Show Ring. Other livestock highlights include the Birthing Center, open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and the Guernsey Youth Association will have a Milk Clinic Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Sept. 1 through Sept. 3. Visitors can learn how to milk cows, you know, if the need ever arises.
One of the most fun events at the fair is the Swifty Swine Racing and Swimming Pig Show running from Friday through Sept. 3. Featuring pigs with names like Al Boar, Hillary Rodham and Lindsay Loham (which is kind of unfortunate yet funny right now), how can you resist? The races take place five times per day at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m. on entertainment row.
More fun animal names! At the State Fair Costume Animal Contest, 4-H members have the opportunity to dress up their sheep, horses, dogs and rabbits for animal glory. Past participants include Cow Ripkin, 101 Cowmations and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rabbit. The contest will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Horse Show Ring.
Miscellaneous
Mmm ... chili. The Mason-Dixon Pod of the Chili Appreciation Society International has invited professional and amateur Maryland chefs to compete in the Seventh Annual Fire on the Midway/Maryland State Chili Championship from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the north end of the racetrack grandstand. The chefs need to whip up their best bowl of Texas red chili (meat and gravy only, no beans). Hope water is handy.
Car lovers can get their motors running at the Antique/Classic Vehicle Display from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 2 under the racetrack grandstand off the Timonium Road entrance. The show will feature about 75 antique cars from as early as the 1920s.
Reach staff writer Jordan Bartel at 410-857-7862 or jordan.bartel@carroll countytimes.com.
If you go ...
What: 2007 Maryland State Fair
When: Opens Friday and runs through Sept. 3.
Where: The Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Cost: Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children 6 to 11 and free for children 5 and younger. Rides and concerts are individually priced.
Information: 410-252-0200, ext 227, or go to www.maryland statefair.com.
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