24th Farm Fair ready, raring to go

The cows and sheep are ready for their weigh-in, the arts and crafts have been shipped into the exhibit spaces and the stage is set for Harford County's yearly display of all things agriculture.

The 24th annual Farm Fair was technically kicked off last weekend, with a brand-new 5K race and a "Food Fiesta" farmer's market.

But the real action starts Thursday, when the entire grounds at the Harford County Equestrian Center, at 608 North Tollgate Road, will be open for business and abuzz with activity.

The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Daily admission costs $8 per person, $6 for senior citizens (ages 60 or older) and $3 for children ages 5 to 11 (children younger than 5 are free.) Four-day passes are available for purchase today (Wednesday) or Thursday for $25.

Members of the military can also get in for $5 on Sunday, with a military ID.

Tickets can be bought in advance at 410-838-8663.

One major change attendees will face is the parking, which will no longer be immediately adjacent to the fairgrounds.

Aimee O'Neill, co-chair of the board of directors, said the fair's organizers are trying to avoid traffic back-ups on Tollgate Road by moving all the parking off-site.

That means everyone will have to catch a ride on one of the fair's shuttles, which depart from parking lots at Bel Air, Fallston and Patterson Mill high schools, as well as a lot on Vale Road between Tollgate and Route 24 (accessible only from Vale Road).

The shuttles, provided by JDT Transportation and Anderson Bus Company, will run from 8 a.m. until the fair closes.

Only handicapped parking, with an official handicap tag, is available at the parks and recreation lot on Tollgate.

With temperatures projected to be back into the triple digits on Friday, the fair will also feature an air-conditioned pavilion for the first time.

Organizers are trying to attract new people to the fair, as well as showcase more aspects of agricultural life.

The fair's website, http://www.FarmFair.org, has a new preview page that also guided visitors to the 5K Run and the Farmer's Market and "food and wine fiesta" last weekend that aimed to highlight local food offerings.

Participants included 12 local farms and restaurants which were challenged to offer a seasonal food.

"We had a great 5K on Sunday. We far exceeded our expectations," fair co-chair Skip Pieper said. "We had a great response."

The farmer's market also exceeded expectations, "had a great turn-out, had a lot of local food," he said.

Although plans have yet to be made for the 25th fair, in 2012, Pieper said he expects those two events to come back.

"Something that's successful the first time you try it, you certainly don't abandon it," he said.

As for the rest of the fair, "things have really come together. We have a lot of new vendors," he said. "Animals across the species are way up, 4-H is growing."

After the fairgrounds open for good, all the fair regulars, and newer favorites like Dock Dogs, promise to come out in full force, while several newcomers also promise to liven things up.

One of them will be The Lone Ranger & Silver Show, a play aimed at children with a message of community responsibility, that runs at 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday, noon on Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

A straw maze will also be a new attraction for kids.

A coon mule jumping contest, which was gone for a while, is returning at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Miss Harford County Farm Bureau contest starts at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Dock Dogs contest will take place at 5 and 6:30 p.m. Thursday; 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The antique tractor pulls will happen at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Meanwhile, the traditional prayer breakfast will lead off the farm fair bright and early at 7 a.m. on Thursday, and Upper Cross Roads Baptist Church will close it with a vesper service at 8 a.m. Sunday.