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Fond du Lac County Fair runs July 17-21, with all the classic rides, food and entertainment

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Fond du Lac County Fair runs July 17-21, with all the classic rides, food and entertainment

Here’s everything to know about this year’s Fond du Lac County Fair.

FOND DU LAC – Fond du Lac County Fair kicks off July 17, filling the county fairgrounds, 520 Fond du Lac Ave., with a variety of activities, food and entertainment through July 21.

Open daily at 9 a.m., the fair is free to enter, but parking is $10 per carload and tickets are required for grandstand events.

Here’s everything you need to know before heading to the fair.

Fairgrounds open early for bull-riding show

The Rice Bull Riding Co. Professional Bull Riding and Barrel Racing show, sponsored by Immel Insurance and Financial Services, will kick off fair season a day early at the Holiday Automotive Grandstand Stage at 6:30 p.m. July 16.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and tickets are $17 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3 to 12. VIP tickets are $35 and include early entry and a $5 food and drink voucher.

Fireworks will follow the show.

Carnival rides are $1 on opening day

Rides open at 1 p.m. July 17 and 18, and noon July 19-21.

On the first day, all rides will be $1 until 5 p.m. with the exception of Freak Out, which will be $2. From 5 to 10 p.m., unlimited rides will be $25.

On July 18, unlimited rides will be $25 for each of two time slots: 1-6 p.m. and 6-11 p.m.

From July 19 to 21, the $25 unlimited rides are open noon to 5 p.m.

Animal-based activities include judging, ‘MOO’-ternity Ward

The Cow Palace, the Horse Arena and the Poultry Barn will host judging of a variety of animals, including cows, goats, pigs, horses, rabbits, llamas and caged birds.

Nick’s Barnyard Adventure Show in the Recreation Building will invite kids to be farmers for a day and engage them in common farm chores. Daily shows will be at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.

The “MOO”-ternity Ward and Education Center, also in the Recreation building, brings in cows that are close to giving birth to give attendees a chance to see a live birth, meet baby animals and learn more about the area’s livestock industry.

Remember when …: Galloway-West ranked ‘among the giants’ in the dairy industry? Its 2009 closure ended a 100-year era.

Fill up on classic fair food

Food options will include fair favorites like shaved ice, cheese curds, ice cream, funnel cake and cream puffs, as well as barbecue, soft pretzels, gyros and french fries.

The Wine & Beer Garden tent will be open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Entertainment ranges from local acts to grandstand headliners

Music acts in the Beer & Wine Garden throughout the fair season will include Evan and Tom Leahy, Hannah Rose, Redfish Remix, Brent Bel & The Boys, Fred Ferguson and Slim & Turner.

Fondy’s Got Talent, engaging a variety of talents from the area’s youth ages 2 to 18, will kick off at 1 p.m. on the Family Stage in the Expo Building.

Evening entertainment on Leinie Lodge Stage will include The Presidents July 17, Star Six Nine July 18, Ask Your Mother July 19 and Mt Olive July 20.

Announced earlier this year, grandstand headliners include Vanilla Ice with Rob Base and Ton Loc July 18, Scotty McCreary July 19, and Pop Evil and Fuel July 20.

Tickets are available for Vanilla Ice for $60, Scotty McCreary for $50 and Pop Evil and Fuel for $45. VIP options are also available.

Other shows include tractor pull, demolition derby

Holiday Automotive Grandstand stage entertainment for July 17 will be the truck and tractor pull at 6 p.m., featuring PI Motorsports. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3-12.

The demolition derby will kick off at 2 p.m. July 21 on the grandstand. Tickets are $17 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3-12. Gates open at 12:30 p.m.

VIP tickets are $30 and include early entrance at noon and a $5 food voucher.

Tickets for both events are available on the county fair website.

Kids’ activities

In addition to the carnival rides, kid-friendly activities include watching the Bear Hollow Wood Carvers and getting prehistoric experience with the Prehistoric Dinosaur Adventures.

Free pony rides will be 1-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. daily.

Nick’s Kids Show will also be daily, starting at 10:15 a.m. and 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.

The Fondy 5K & Kids Fun Run will kick off at 8 a.m. July 20, followed by a baby crawling contest.

Fair partners with SSM Health Treffert Center for sensory-friendly space

Fair organizers and the SSM Health Treffert Center collaborated on a designated area in the fairgrounds for those who need a moment away from the high-sensory environment of the rest of the fair, making the fair a sensory inclusive event.

The sensory room will be in the Expo Building near First Aid July 18-21 with space for 12 guests at a time, providing quiet, air-conditioned space with calming lights and relaxing sounds helpful to guests with autism, anxiety, developmental disabilities or other sensory-based needs. It will be stocked with tools such as weighted blankets, noise-canceling headphones and quiet activities for sensory processing.

Accessibility: How accessible is Fond du Lac? Streetwise wants your stories on local wins and what the community could do better.

Guests can also check in at the room for a lanyard or wristband that will allow fair and carnival staff to identify and accommodate those with sensory issues.

The room is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 18; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 19; 8:30 a.m. to noon July 20; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 21.

Additionally, from noon to 1 p.m. July 18, carnival rides will run with no lights or music.

For more information, including the full schedule and fair map, visit fonddulaccountyfair.com.

Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.

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