Afton Fair to feature music, races and more

June 27, 2009 04:00 am

The 120th Afton Fair will begin July 8 and continue through July 12, featuring a reduced admission price of $3 for ages 12 and older, and free for children ages 11 and younger.

Grandstand and 88 BC/Afton Sertoma Stage Entertainment is free with paid gate admission. The fair will feature a variety of animal displays and contests as well as entertainment for the entire family.

The Midway and vendors will open at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be wristband specials each day. New this year will be a Saturday Super Saver Special, a $20 wristband from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The midway is provided by Main Events Amusements.

The entertainment lineup for this year's fair will feature Skyline with Cassidy Lynn from Nashville, performing at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. Panhandle, a country band from Oxford, will play songs from its new CD on Wednesday, July 8. Fireworks will be set off at 10 p.m. both nights.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, local band Familiar Noise will return to the fair, performing music from its 2008 CD, "Simpler Times," as well as new music. WKGB FM will conduct a live remote broadcast from 7 to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, July 11, the Southerntiersman Barbershop Chorus and Quartets will perform at 4 p.m. The fair will also feature musical performances by the Binghamton High School Steel Drum Band, The Old Time Band, Deuces Wild, Route 66 as well as dance performances by The Blue Ribbon Cloggers and Line Dancing with Mindy.

The 88 BC/Afton Sertoma Stage will also host the Miss Afton Fair pageant, as well as the Afton Junior Idol singing contest. On Sunday, July 12, Ronald McDonald will meet with children in the spectators' tent by the stage from 1 to 3 p.m.

In the grandstand, the annual firefighters' parade and games will take place on Wednesday, July 8. Harness racing, with special activities for children, will follow at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 9. An equestrian riding demonstration will follow at 7 p.m. Thursday, with repeat performances at 4 and 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11. A pony pull will be held Saturday as well.

Races will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, by the Afton Motor Speedway. The Catskill Garden Tractor Pullers and antique tractor pullers will set off in front of the grandstand at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 11. The fair will conclude with a demolition derby at 3 p.m. Monday, July 12.

An open English and Western horse show will take place Saturday, with additional horse shows and events on Sunday in the Horse Show Ring. The Youth Dairy Show will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, and finish up Thursday afternoon in the cattle barn area.

A Children's Activity Center will open at noon each day, featuring games and activities. Floral Hall judging will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday under the grandstands. Chain-saw carving demonstrations will be near the vendor area. A Bikes-for-Kids giveaway will take place each day, and "Mr. Scribbles" will be at the fair Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A variety of animal displays and shows are planned.

For more information about these events, including event descriptions, rules, regulations and entry forms, visit

www.theaftonfair.com or call the fair office at 639-1525.

A map of the fairgrounds with a legend is available online at www.theaftonfair.com/

fairgrounds.shtml. Information is also avaiable by e-mailing fairinfo@theaftonfair.com.

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