WILMINGTON — The Clinton County Fair has a new rides-and-amusements company this year, and the kid inside of the Fairboard president is getting excited.
“There will be different rides and nicer rides, all kinds of rides and a lot of good quality rides. We’re excited about getting that different group in here,” said Clinton County Agricultural Society (Fairboard) President Scot Gerber.
That different group is Triple Treat Shows, an amusement ride, games and food provider based out of Cincinnati that travels the Tri-State region of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Gerber said Triple Treat Shows is the provider for the Warren County Fair, for example.
“We have just the right mixture of children’s rides, family rides, and thrill rides including the Ali Baba, a giant magic carpet ride, and the Drop N Twist, a kid-size drop tower that’s designed to give kids ‘just enough’ of a thrill,” says the company’s website.
Also new to the fair are three or four new food vendors on site, Gerber said.
Meanwhile, the ever-popular shuttle carts will be available to help bring folks onto the fairgrounds.
Just before the News Journal phone interview concluded Tuesday afternoon, Gerber said he saw one of the french fries trailers rolling in.
Is there anything he wanted to add before getting back to the work of preparing for an agricultural fair?
“Just everybody come out and enjoy,” he said.
The annual local tradition that began in 1832 continues this Saturday with the start of an eight-day Clinton County Fair.
There are two 2019 Clinton County Fair honorees this year: Individual — Patrick Haley; and, Business — JD Equipment. Honorees are chosen annually by the Clinton County Agricultural Society Board of Directors.
Highlights of the grandstand attractions and entertainment for the July 6 through 13 event include:
Saturday, July 6
• 9 a.m. Antique/Garden Tractor Pull; grandstand
• 1 p.m. Mr. Chris & the Cruisers (classic pop and rock); Dealership Building
• 7 p.m. Demolition Derby; Grandstand
• 8 p.m. Kickstart (3-piece rock band from Cincinnati); Dealership Building
Sunday, July 7
• 4 p.m. Harness Racing; Grandstand
• 7 p.m. Lawn Mower and Kart Racing; Grandstand
• 7 p.m. Bible Baptist Church Service; Dealership Building
• 8 p.m. Shane Smith with Michael Chandler (classic country); Dealership Building
Monday, July 8
• 4 p.m. Harness Racing; Grandstand
• 8 p.m. Locust Street Band (bluegrass and bluegrass gospel); Dealership Building
Tuesday, July 9
• 8 p.m. John Dickey/River City (bluegrass band from Cincinnati); Grandstand
Wednesday, July 10
• 7 p.m. KOI Drag Racing; Grandstand
• 8 p.m. Richard Lynch Band (traditional country music); Dealership Building.
Thursday, July 11
• 7 p.m. Truck & Tractor Pull; Grandstand
• 7 p.m. Bible Baptist Church Gospel Sing; Dealership Building
Friday, July 12
• 6:45 p.m. Fair Honoree Presentations; Grandstand
• 7 p.m. Tractor and Semi Pull; Grandstand
• 8 p.m. Girl Pop Band (all-female ’80s, ’90s and ’00s cover band); Dealership Building
Saturday, July 13
• Noon, Kiddie Tractor Pull; Grandstand
• 1 p.m. David Wayne (classic country); Dealership Building
• 6 p.m. Midwest Talent Search (registration starts at 1 p.m.; karaoke at 3 p.m.); Dealership Building
• 7 p.m. NTPA Regional National Truck & Tractor Pull; Grandstand
The Goat, Lamb, Beef, Poultry, Rabbit, Dairy & Swine Sale begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 13.
Ticket info
July 6-13
Daily gate entry — $10 includes mechanical amusement rides (paid daily admission ticket must be turned into amusement ticket office for the daily ride armband)
5 & under — Free
Ride Armbands – TBD (check height and age requirements at amusement ticket office)
Midway opens at 1 p.m.; fair closes at 11 p.m.
Season pass — $30
Membership Tickets — $35
(No refunds, no rain dates, and no exchanges on all tickets and passes)
Fair food
Once again at this year’s fair you can find ice cream, pie, elephant ears, funnel cakes, gyros, frozen lemonade, Polish sausage, french fries, hamburgers, subs, steak sandwiches, pork pitas & sandwiches, pizza, Texas tenderloin, milk shakes, caramel corn, candy apples, nachos, burritos … and more.