The 79th Annual Chelsea Community Fair takes place Aug. 23-27 this year and admission is $7 for those over 10 years old. Children 10 and under are free.
Don’t forget that if you plan to be a frequent visitor to the fair, a season pass is $25; a student and a senior citizen season pass are $15.
Parking is free and rides are provided by North American Midway Entertainment. Wrist bands and individual ride tickets are additional inside the fairgrounds.
All the animal judging, demo derbies, pulling contests and barns filled with animals, vegetables, flowers, antiques, canned goods, quilts and other sewn pieces, baby animals, non-profits and vendors are included in the admission price.
So, let’s look at what’s happening on the first full day of fair, which is Tuesday, Aug. 23.
The gates open at 10 a.m., but if you would like to see the rabbits being judged, arrive at the fairgrounds at 9 a.m. and head to the rabbit tent to see area youth show their cute Holland Lops or majestic New Zealands.
The Nature’s Creation of Life building as well as the Merchant Barn will be open all day. The green exhibit barn opens at noon — so you can see how your fair entries did in their classes.
In the afternoon, you can watch the first day of the horse show, which kicks off with halter, showmanship and championship classes.
The rides open at 5 p.m., but the fair officially gets started with the annual Children’s Parade, which lines up behind the Common Grill in the parking lot, and gets underway at 5:30 p.m. The children on decorated bikes ride to the fairgrounds to officially kick-off the fair and head down to the Main Arena for kid’s day events.
The Knight of Columbus Bingo tent opens from 5:30-10 p.m.
If it’s pig judging you want to see, be sure to plan a trip to fair on Tuesday as swine judging begins at 6 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Arena.
And it’s the Chelsea Community Fair Demolition Derby night with three heats plus a feature.
