Spotlight Pick
All’s fair: The organizers of the Sterling Fair are quick to point out two major lures for their annual event: 1. It’s got everything you could possibly want in a country fair, and 2. Admission is free.
You heard right. No need to stop at the ATM first just so you can walk in the gate unlike those “other” fairs (you know who you are). In fact, the fair, which runs Sept. 5-7, is so focused on its agricultural heritage, once you get inside most of the best stuff costs nothing anyway: horse and tractor pulls, a frog-jumping contest, livestock shows, and the Exhibition Hall where you can check out summer’s bounty, including the Yao Ming-sized sunflowers.
Of course, if you’ve got kids, you’re going to spend a few bucks. So for that purpose, there’s a midway with plenty of rides, games and food booths serving all the popcorn, sausage subs and pizza slices you can stomach. Hell hath no fury like a slab of fried dough followed by a spin on the Tilt-a-Whirl.
Live music includes Graveyard BBQ at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, The Blue Flames at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6, and The 4 Get Me Notes at 11 a.m. on Sept. 7. Carousel music all day.
Now the annual pitch: while entrée to the Sterling Fair is free, organizers are hoping you’ll fork over three bucks at the gate for a button you can pin to your t-shirt to declare your support and help fund this all-volunteer effort.
The fair unwinds on the tarmac of the Sterling Airport on Greenland Road (no worries, planes are grounded for the weekend). The fireworks go off at 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 6. Visit sterlingfair.org.
