The Otsego County Fair welcomed returning crowds Tuesday July 30, kicking off the 79th annual fair week with the 4-H dairy show, harness racing and East Coast Pro wrestling.
Fair manager Lisa Jackson, who has overseen the team that puts together the event for 15 years, said Tuesday that a record number of vendors are attending this year, making the fairgrounds are “very full.”
Jackson said that there are around 100 vendors at this year’s fair, filling up the grandstand booths for the first time in her 15 years.
The midway, featuring carnival rides and games, was closed Tuesday, but scheduled to open at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 with a pay-one price-wristband all day at $25 each.
Admission from Wednesday to Sunday is $6, with free admission Wednesday and Saturday for veterans and active military and half price admission for seniors age 60 and older Friday.
Parking will be free all week. Grandstand event tickets are $10 from Thursday onward.
Throughout the week, there will be dairy product giveaways to fairgoers including milk, chocolate milk, cheese and yogurt from a dairy bar, a new and recent addition to the fair this year.
There also will be many other free giveaways around the fair to look out for, Jackson said.
“We have tons of new stuff this year,” Jackson said, including axe throwing and bull riding.
Other attractions include Scott’s Future of Magic Show, the petting zoo, tractor pulls, livestock and horse shows and a Christmas store. The chainsaw carver exhibit now has bleachers so fairgoers are able to sit and watch all week.
Chee Chee the Walking Clown and Gizmo D Robot will be doing ground acts around the fair through the week.
Two car dealerships, McCredy Motors and Matthew Fords, also will be making an appearance on the fairgrounds.
Performances by Buffalo Barfield, Krystal Lee, Jason Wicks and the Sundown Band are scheduled throughout the week at the entertainment tent.
This year, the fair is designating Saturday as family day for the first time, with giveaways for adults and special discounts by selected food vendors between 5 and 7 p.m.
There is scheduled be a giveaway for kids 16 and under. In previous years, the fair has given away TVs, Nintendo Switch game consoles and Power Wheels toy vehicles.
Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the giveaway starts at 3 p.m.
Several upgrades to the fairgrounds have been made this year, including the roadways.
Otsego County Fair Board President Dwayne Jackson said that the barns have undergone electrical and water line improvements. Rain water holding tanks have also been installed, he said.
The fair is located at 48 Lake St. in Morris. For more information, visit www.otsegocountyfair.org.