by Vera Thornton
When: July 18 – 26
Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 20: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Monday, July 21 – Thursday, July 24: 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday, July 25 & Saturday, July 26 – 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
The Midway area is open until 11:30 p.m. daily
Where: County Fairgrounds, 1220 Nathan Ellis Highway (Route 151), East Falmouth
The Barnstable County Fair is one of the highlights of a Cape Cod summer, a tradition that ha
s been going on for 164 years. People of all ages enjoy the old fashioned fun of this true county fair, with its prize-winning livestock, blue-ribbon pies and vegetables, 4-H demonstrations, petting zoos, arts & crafts, Midway rides and games - the Sizzler, the bumper cars, the Ferris wheel! Pop the balloon with a dart and win a giant stuffed animal! And of course, lots of fun fair food: peanuts, popcorn, curly fries! Cotton candy, corn dogs, lemonade! Entertainment of all kinds awaits you: championship bull-riding, the demolition derby, plenty of live music (the Village People at 7:30 p.m. on July 25th), and lots of animal shows with champion dogs, sheep, goats, and cows. 
I love the horse pull, where a team of two magnificent draft horses has been known to pull up to two tons of stone weight. This is a wholesome slice of Americana that ranks right up there with parades and fireworks, and the yearly attendance is a testament to the Fair’s popularity: over 85,000 people last year, with 90,000 expected in 2008. My only complaint about the Fair is that nobody gets to eat all those prize-winning pies; they just sit there being admired all week! Oh, for a scoop of ice cream and a fork.
As tickets for the rides can become expensive, parents take note of the following “Wristband Days” special, when you can ride all day for $15
.
Friday, July 18, 2008 - 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Monday, July 21, 2008 - 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Friday, July 25, 2008 - 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Fair is produced annually by the non-profit Barnstable County Agricultural Society. It uses a portion of the proceeds to award $35,000 in scholarships to county-based students who pursue careers in agriculture, marine biology and home economics. Remaining proceeds are re-invested in the fairgrounds and donated to community groups.
Tickets for Admission: $10/adult, $8/Seniors, Children under 12/free with Paid Adult.
For information about advance tickets and special discount packages, please call (508) 563-3200, or visit: The Barnstable County Fair website ticket page.
Labels: agricultural fairs, fairs, games, Midway, Music, rides
ganization that supports local businesses and helps area residents. This annual scholarship is awarded to a Nauset Regional High School student interested in pursuing higher education.
