Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/979283
12 UCW MAY 9-15, 2018 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM LAUREN VANDERVEEN, Contributing Writer. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Can you smell the funnel cake in the air? Hear the roaring screams of the crowd as they fail to keep their dignity atop the highest and fastest rides? Do you see your friends and family – along with almost everyone else in the Fayetteville and sur- rounding area? If so, it's because the annual Fort Bragg Fair is already back in action! It will run until Mother's Day, May 13. Free parking, unlimited rides and live entertain- ment are all included in one admis- sion price. More than 30 different rides are featured at the fair, including the Ferris wheel, the zipper, the Starship 4000 and the Magic Maze. You'll be tossed left and right, up and down, defying gravity – all in the name of pure fun. ere will also be a special sec- tion for younger children that includes the Circus Train, the Crazy Chopper, the Merr y-Go-Round and the Tea Cups. "We're not getting into Mom and Dad's pocketbook every time one wants to ride a ride," said Rhett Stroupe, special events coordinator for Fort Bragg's Morale, Welfare and Recreation division. "Also, (the pub- lic) will be excited and will notice our fair is conducted in a clean, safe and secure environment." According to Stroupe, the fair's attendance was down by 20 percent last year due to inclement weather. However, this event has been a staple in the area for decades, and if Mother Nature cooperates, Stroupe expects attendance to exceed 45,000 this year. e fair also boasts specials. Customer Appreciation Days run throughout the fair Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at $9 admission. All mothers with paying children will be admitted free on the last day of the fair, Mother's Day, May 13. Another standard feature of the Fort Bragg Fair is Kachunga and the Alligator Show. e show is an effort to provide education about misunderstood reptiles. Kachunga, a bushman from the Florida swamps, is akin to the late, great Steve Irwin. e show runs weekdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and on weekends at 3 p.m., then 5 to 7 p.m. Musical performances take place nearly every day of the fair, typically at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Several of these groups hail from North Caro- lina, including Steel Country Express from Jacksonville, the rock band Island Time from Garner, as well as the hard rock band e Fifth, from Fayetteville. "Every year, MWR is able to pro- vide a safe and fun experience for soldiers and their families that is inexpensive and keeps them close to home. e smiles on their faces tell the story," said Stroupe. Reg ular admissions for weekdays is $14, w it h discounts for militar y members, children 36 inches or taller, disabled patrons and senior citizens. Weekend admission for t he general public is $19 w it h t he same applicable discounts. A ll children shorter t han 36 inches get free admission. e Fort Bragg Fair is located at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds on How- ell Street and Bragg Boulevard. For more information, visit the website: bragg.armymwr.com/categories/ communit y-events. The Fort Bragg Fair is back by LAUREN VANDERVEEN EVENTS The Fort Bragg Fair runs through May 13. Go Online 484-6200 www.uandcomingweekly.com Flip our pages for news, views, art and entertainment! Call and ask one of our marketing representatives to help you grown your business.