Thousands of area residents will find their way to the Middlesex County Fairgrounds in East Brunswick next week for their yearly dose of live music, shows and attractions.
FromAug. 1 through Aug. 7, the Middlesex County Fair will host the usual batch of 4-H performances and animal shows, along with a few new additions, according to Alan Habiak, president and general manager of the fair.
Hundreds of volunteers have been working tirelessly to put together the weeklong event, like 2011 Volunteer of the Year Sheila Angalet, who has helped prepare the festivities for 35 years.
“Many volunteers were involved when they were younger and have continued to be throughout the years,” Habiak, a South Brunswick resident, said. “I helped out when I was a kid with my uncle.”
Angalet will be honored during the fair’s opening ceremonies, which start at 5 p.m. Aug. 1, along with 2011 Farmer of theYear, Clarence W. Dey Jr., who died in March at the age of 81. Dey was born into a farming family in the Dayton section of South Brunswick and successfully farmed hundreds of acres on Davidsons Mill Road until his retirement in 1990.
Following the fair’s opening ceremonies, the king, queen, prince and princess contest will be held at 7 p.m., and a fireworks show will kick off at 9:15 p.m.
Habiak said that in addition to the family-friendly fair’s deep history and commitment to tradition, the fair association tries to include new and exciting attractions every year. This time around, that means the addition of Rosaire’s Bears, described as a fun and educational big bear show, and Hansen’s Spectacular Thrill Show, a group of five acrobatic acts. Fair regulars like the Barnyard Express and Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy will return to Cranbury Road once again.
The yearly Home Arts Competition will host contests in 14 divisions — vegetables, fruits, flowers, baked goods, canning, quilts, needlework, knitting and crocheting, handwork, sewing, crafts, art, woodworking and furniture refinishing, and photography. There is no entry fee, and participants do not have to live in Middlesex County. Fairgoers can expect performances from bands including Sibling Rivalry on Aug. 1, the RockNRoll Chorus and The Nerds on Aug. 2, Amish Outlaws and Chelsea Carlson on Aug. 3, Ridgemont High Band and Danielle Ashley on Aug. 5, Brother Trouble and After the Reign onAug. 6, and the Underwater Country Club and Nikki Britt on Aug. 7.
The 4-H club has a longstanding partnership with the fair and will provide a variety of events and performances daily. Fair staples such as animal shows, exhibit displays and remote-control car races will return. The Rhythm in Motion 4-H Cloggers will perform on Aug. 4 and 6, and Kids Day onAug. 6 will feature cupcake decorating, balloon animals and face painting.
Guinea pig and rabbit races will make their second appearance after a successful debut last year, and new this year will be a craft workshop and an archery target shoot.
“For 4-H, it’s a good fit because it’s a way to showcase what the 4- H’ers have accomplished, so we are very appreciative of what the fair association does for us,” said Laura Bovitz, Middlesex County 4-H agent. “We consider our 4-H group a family, so the fair is like a family reunion.” Despite a struggling economy, attendance at the fair has increased in the past few years. Last year 75,000 entered the grounds, an increase of 7,000 from 2009, and Habiak believes this year will top that number as long as the weather remains favorable. He said the decrease in the number of families taking summer vacations out of state could account for the higher turnout.
“The economy has maybe helped us a bit, since people aren’t traveling as much,” he said. “We’ve also been getting the word out better, so it’s a combination of the two.”
Habiak already envisions an even bigger show for the fair’s 75th anniversary in two years.
Ticket prices are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors, $1 for children ages 3-12, and free for children 2 and under. Admission is free to all those who donate blood at the fair’s daily blood drives.
On weeknights the fair will be open 5-11 p.m., on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the fair’s website at www.middlesexcountyfair.org.