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.
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Cumberland County Agricultural Fair Returns to the Crown by STEPHANIE CRIDER School is back in session, the weather is cooling off (sort of) and the days are getting shorter. That can only mean one thing — it's time for the Cumberland County Agricultural Fair. Opening Sept. 15 and running through Sept. 25, the fair promises a good time for everyone. The goal of the fair is to "showcase and preserve the history and legacy of agricultural communities in Cumberland County; to celebrate the diversity of local arts and crafts; to promote a safe setting for fun, healthy family entertainment featuring music, motorsports and animals; and to encourage an environment of friendly competition for all ages." It's the way they do it that makes a day of strolling the midway and visiting exhibits such a great time. First, they go big — really big. It takes several of the parking lots and four buildings at the Crown Center to hold the rides, exhibits, games and food vendors that entertain more than 45,000 visitors each year. In fact, the Cumberland County Agricultural Fair is one of the largest events hosted by the Crown each year. The exhibits include agricultural, artistic, culinary, animal and handcraft categories. There are also educational exhibits, and of course, the rides and yummy fair food that everyone looks forward to with great anticipation. After all, what is a day at the fair without cotton candy and popcorn? There are also a variety of entertaining shows throughout the 10-day run. There are three 30-minute shows of Friendly Farmers Barn Yard Review each day, featuring music, magic and comedy. Also showing three times a day, don't miss the racing pigs and the pig paddling porkers. Keeping with the cowboy theme, there will be bull riding, too. Chainsaw artist Rick Cox will perform chainsaw art demonstrations, and don't forget to swing by the petting zoo. Some other exhibits include a toddler driving school, farmer for a day, which will be hosted by the Cumberland County 4-H Clubs, paintball competitions, the Cape Fear Railroaders Model Train Exhibit and camel and pony rides. On Sept. 16 and 17 don't miss the motorcross weekend races. Practice starts at 4 p.m. and the race is at 7 p.m. Also on Sept. 17, is the Diaper Derby and Parent Olympics. The Fair Queens Pageant will be on Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. On Sept. 24, it's a stomping good time at the Cumberland County Invitational Step Show, which starts at 2 p.m. For the best deals, buy your tickets to the Cumberland County Agricultural Fair in advance. Something new in the mix this year is pink day at the fair in support of breast cancer awareness. Observed on Sept. 17, the fi rst 4,000 visitors who come to the fair will receive a pink bracelet as well as a cup that can be fi lled at the food vendors for a $1 — that is half of the regular price. In addition, $1 of all admission fees that day will be donated to the Cape Fear Valley Breast Care Center. The fair has a new price structure that is sure to suit the community. Event organizer Hubert Bullard is excited about what it means for patrons to the fair. With the new price structure, visitors to the fair pay for admission and the price includes rides, entertainment and contests. "Everything at the fair would be free after that, including free unlimited carnival rides. It is a bargain. Now a family can come to the fair cheaper than they can go to the movies," said Bullard. Buy in advance, and get an even better deal. "It is a tremendous deal to buy tickets in advance. For the price of $10, buying in advance, the purchaser would also get $41 worth of free products at the fair," said Bullard. "Food, soft drinks, free pony rides and things like that are the real advantage of buying in advance." There are several locations currently selling tickets. You can fi nd them at the Crown Center Box Offi ce, 4-H offi ces, at any Short Stop in Cumberland County and online at Ticketmaster.com. Visit www. cumberlandcountyfair.org for more information. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Associate Editor, Up & Coming Weekly, COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. Fayetteville After 5 Ends Season With The Band of OZ by AMANDA JENKINS Fayetteville After 5 is nearing the end of its 2011 season and "we're going out with a bang," says Carrie King, executive director of the Dogwood Festival. This 2011 concert series has been running since May and is hosting its grand finale at Festival Park on Sept. 15. "We're going out in big style with the Band of Oz," says King, "that's the one that everybody has been anticipating… they're just a great beach band and people love them." The gates will open at 5 p.m., and the opening show will be 45 RPM, a regional girl band, that will take the stage around 6 p.m. After the opening band (about an hour and a half), the Band of Oz will make its way on stage and play for the remainder of the night until the event ends around 9:30 p.m. While the Band of Oz is fi nishing up the concert series for 2011, The Band of Oz will end the 2011 Fayetteville After 5 season at Festival Park on Sept. 15. Fayetteville After 5 has been an annual event for 13 years and has many years to come. The concert series is sponsored by RA Jeffery's, the beer distributor, and is now hosted by the Dogwood Festival. "It's defi nitely an established event," says King, "and it's a tradition here WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM in Fayetteville. It's funny because when we're setting up, we're still dragging out trash cans and there are people waiting to get in, so we have a lot of die-hard people." No matter what your age, the Fayetteville After 5 concert series welcomes everyone. "It's a huge fellowship," says King, "and there's defi nitely a selection of ages so it's interesting." Aside from the live entertainment, there will be many other activities for you and your children to enjoy, such as corn hole, prize wheels and a bean bag toss. "We've also had photo booths there that were free for folks to take candid pictures, and in July, because it was so hot, we had water slides for the kids," says King. While the event and the activities are free of cost, there will be food vendors on site with food and beverages for purchase. Make your way to Festival Park on September 15th to relax with a cold beverage, rock out to 45 RPM and The Band of Oz, and send Fayetteville After 5 out with a bang. AMANDA JENKINS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upandcomingweekly.com SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2011 UCW 9