Everything You Need to Know About The Durham Fair Sept. 27 to 30

The 2012 Durham Fair will be held from Sept. 27 - 30. Showers and storms are in the forecast, but there should be (we hope) some patches of good weather too. Check the forecast before you head out.

You can also check out the Durham Fair Facebook Page for the latest about the fair.

From the Durham Fair web site:

OPERATING HOURS

ADMISSION

CALLING ALL ROLLER COASTER LOVERS! We are excited to announce that the Super Coaster will be coming to this year’s Durham Fair. In conjunction with Rockwell Amusements, we are thrilled to present this incredible new feature to our fairgoers. The Super Coaster will surely bring lots of screams of joy and delight to the Midway! It measures 154.8 feet long, 46.4 feet wide and 36.7 feet high. Each ride lasts approximately 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Do you want to be one of the first riders on the Super Coaster at this year's Durham Fair? If so, make sure to check out the Durham Fair Facebook page. Each day from 9/17-9/23 we will post about the roller coaster and each person who "likes" our status will have the opportunity to win a seat on the roller coaster for the first ride. We will randomly select one winner per day. Good luck!

Main Stage Entertainment includes:

Friday, September 28, 2012
Kenny Rogers • 7pm

Saturday, September 29, 2012
Kellie Pickler • 7pm

Here is the daily schedule:

Thursday, September 27th

Friday, September 28th

Saturday, September 29th

Sunday, September 30th

Here is some information about those features:

ANIMAL PULLS

A historical treasure of the Durham Fair certainly are the horse, oxen and pony pulls.These contests are a throwback to our agricultural past. The horse pulls, in particular, have been known to last long into the night with eager fairgoers packing the hill and bleacher areas around the ring until the very end to see which team comes out on top.
*Please note: The Durham Fair makes it a priority to ensure that all animals participating in competitions are treated in a humane and respectful manner.

DISCOVERY CENTER

A valued educational area of the Fair that serves up topical seminars on foods, farming, home and garden care and more. There are also interactive displays and demonstrations by experienced, knowledgeable experts in their respective fields of service.

FARM MUSEUM

Step inside the Durham Fair Farm Museum and amid our vast collection of antique farm equipment and collectibles you will be transported back to a time of hand-cranked tractors, blacksmiths, and pot-bellied stoves. Our collection is priceless—we hope you will enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed presenting it to you.

KID'S PLACE

This area of the fairgrounds is designed specifically with our younger fairgoers in mind. From pie-eating contests and balloon stomp competitions to bubble stations and music shows on the stage, this is certainly a place that your kids will love!

MIDWAY

Whether your taste is the slow, steady pace of the carousal, the fast flipping of the Zipper or somewhere in between, our Midway has it all and will surely bring smiles and squeals of delight from both young and old riders alike.

MOTORIZED EVENTS RING

Engines roar, cars collide, and dust fills the air! All of these sights and sounds can be enjoyed in the Motorized Events Ring where a Demolition Derby, Truck/SVU Pull, Tractor Pull and more keep the bleachers bursting with wide-eyed spectators to these rip-roaring events.

TALENT SHOW

The Durham Fair Talent Show is back again, celebrating it’s 9th year! This year’s event will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 12:45p-2:15p on the Center Stage. This is your opportunity to perform as one of our Durham Fair Idols and share your superb talent with family, friends and several thousand fairgoers!

From the Durham Fair Facebook web page:

When one looks back at the history of the Durham Fair, the contrast between the beginning and the present is dramatic. What started as a local event has become the largest of its type in Connecticut. The first fair drew an estimated 2,000 people mainly from Durham and surrounding towns while, at the present time, a fair, if the weather is good, may draw over 200,000 people from all over Connecticut and surrounding states. In 1916, less than $300 was paid in prize money, while currently, over $90,000 is paid.

Many large agricultural fairs, as they have grown, have replaced volunteer management with a paid staff and have struggled to maintain the character of their fair. But the Durham Fair has successfully managed to remain 100% volunteer run and a true agricultural fair. It certainly stands as a monument to the cooperative spirit displayed by all who are involved in this annual fall event. The Durham Fair takes great pride in distributing profits from the fair back to the community through scholarships and support of numerous projects and events.