UPPER FREEHOLD — The Freedom Fest State Fair is offering six big days of fun for the entire family at the Horse Park of New Jersey through July 11.
The midway, provided by Reithoffer Shows, will feature thrill rides and a separate kid area, as well as amusement games for people of all ages and skill levels. The fair will also host craft, business and food vendors; continuous live band music; and other attractions such as diving dogs, trained exotic animals and a balloon stunt show, according to the fair’s website.
The Stars and Stripes Livestock Show, a Freedom Fest tradition, will have more animal species under one roof than any other livestock show in the state. From the giant beef and dairy cattle to the miniature lop rabbits, a montage of animals will pack the 100-by-300-foot indoor arena on July 10, when exhibitors from five states will meet to compete for premiums and prizes. Educational exhibits at the show will introduce the public to the foods and fibers produced on farms and best management practices that produce some of the best livestock in the nation, according to the fair’s website.
Another of the fair’s longstanding traditions is the Blue Ribbon Show, which has allowed generations of families and first-time exhibitors to present their passions for making crafts, growing vegetables or baking goods to a judge for evaluation. The exhibits are scored and recorded so that both the exhibitor and the public can gain valuable information on the crafting process. Blue ribbons are awarded to best in show, according to the fair’s website.
New Jersey’s state animal — the horse — will feature prominently at the festival July 10-13. The Garden State Horse and Carriage Society will present driving demonstrations of carriage, sulky and wagon driving horses, ponies, miniature horses and mules 7-9 p.m. Thursday. Local cowboys and cowgirls will compete in cattle sorting 7-9 p.m. Friday.
The Horsemen’s Association of Millstone Township will demonstrate western and English riding, trail riding and gymkhana (games on horseback) 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Members of the Women’s Professional Barrel Racing Association and Garden State Barrel Racing will race their horses against the clock to one-hundredth of a second on a cloverleaf pattern to see who will take home the grand prize, noon-2 p.m. Sunday, according to the fair’s website.
Fireworks will light up the night sky at 10 p.m. Saturday, July 10.
Fairgoers can purchase advance ride vouchers online at freedomfestfair.com. for $20, according to the fair’s website.
The fair offers free admission to all military service personnel with valid identification.
Other special discounts include halfprice admission for All Six Flags Great Adventure season-pass holders at the gate and $5 off the pay-one-price for rides on July 8.
Campers and their counselors can pay the discounted price of $12 for unlimited use of rides and attractions 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 8-9.
Friday night is ladies’ night, when females of all ages can ride all of the rides for $10.
Fairgoers will pay the discounted price of $25 to ride all of the rides from noon to 5 p.m. July 10, and $25 to ride all day on the last day of the fair, July 11, according to the fair’s website.
The fair will operate 5-11 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Regular admission costs $6 per adult, $5 per senior citizen and $3 per child age 10 and younger. Children age 4 and under will be admitted free.
For more information, call 609-610- 0910 or visit freedomfestfair.com.