For its 60th anniversary, the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair brings fresh changes, most notably the parade taking place on a Saturday morning instead of Monday afternoon.
But there also will be new rides, more food vendors, a variety of bands and other entertainment as well as the traditional agricultural exhibits and exciting midway. The fair kicks off with the annual parade Saturday at 10 a.m. and the Fair opens Monday and runs through Saturday, Oct. 22.
Fair hours will remain unchanged from 2021: 4 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday; and noon to midnight to close the 2022 Fair on Saturday, Oct. 22.
Admission prices also will stay the same. Gate admission is $10, and advance tickets bought online at kiwanisogeecheefair.org are $8. Children age 5 and younger are admitted free.
Also, Fair Chairperson Lisa D. Turner said, “By popular demand, we are bringing back free admission days for three very special groups of our local citizens.”
Tuesday, Oct. 18, is “Senior Night” for those 65 and over; Wednesday, Oct. 19, is “First Responders Night” for those professionals; and Thursday, Oct. 20, is “Military Appreciation Night” for all branches. A proper ID will be required to receive free admission.
Fair Parade
Parade Chairman Charles Sheets said close to 100 entries, including beauty queens, tractors, classic cars and trucks, dignitaries and floats are expected to line up in the same area as always, with the parade stepping off on North Main Street at 10 a.m.
The parade will follow the traditional route along North and South Main streets to Fair Road. Sheets reminds people filming or photographing the event to do so from the east side of the streets due to morning lighting. Judges will be on the west side of the street, taking note of floats created by school and dance groups, local businesses and various clubs and organizations competing for prizes, judged on the agricultural theme “Truckloads of Fun for 60 Years,” he said.
Also, Sheets asks participants to not throw candy at the crowd and only give handouts to those on the curb. Due to difficulties in obtaining a crew to clean up behind live animals in the parade, there will be no horseback riders this year and dogs and other animals will be on trailers or in pickup trucks, he said.
New at the Fair
A cute new kiddie ride, on which parents can accompany their children, is “The Puppy Ride,” which is similar to the old Teacup Ride, said Dominic Vivona Jr., a member of the Vivona family that owns Amusements of America, the midway that has midway rides to the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair for decades.
“We will have a brand-new Giant Ferris Wheel, with new lighting; the Cliffhanger, where you lay flat like Superman flying; Pharoah’s Fury, the swinging boat ride, and the Surf Shack Fun House will be returning,” he said.
Fairs are all about food, and there will be “lots more food vendors including an ice cream stand,” he said.
All the usual funnel cakes, Italian sausages, candy apples and cotton candy will be there, and along Heritage Village local vendors will offer hotdogs, hamburgers, seafood, chili, chicken and rice and other mouthwatering treats.
The Heritage Village also includes an authentic farmhouse and barn, antique farm implements, an old general store, grist mill and bee exhibit. That is also the area where entertainment is held, Turner said.
“Lots of new features are in store for this year,” she said. “Miss Rodeo USA Jessie Lynn, America’s Singing Cowgirl, will appear along with the K9s in Flight, Max Power, the eight-foot-tall robot and his Jeep Nitro; the High-Flying Pages and ‘Ready, Set, Grow,’ an agricultural exhibit with Farmer Fred.”
The fair also includes commercial exhibits, livestock shows, arts and crafts, contests for baked goods, jams and jellies, crops and more. Students compete in projects for 4-H and FFA and their mini-booth projects will be on display.
Even more entertainment
Entertainment Chairman Mike Bowen plans a variety of performers throughout the week. “The live concert stage will be showcasing regional bands every night... and will start each evening at 7 p.m. with three hours each night of music,” he said.
Monday will be The Ripleys from Statesboro. “Calling themselves ‘not your average cover band,’ they play the songs you have grown to love. Plus you’ll enjoy their fun stage presence,” Bowen said.
Tuesday will be Jessie Lynn, Miss Rodeo USA, “America’s Singing Cowgirl. “ The Fractions from Savannah will perform Wednesday, and on Thursday, the stage will see Clayton Hackle.
“This will be the fifth year that Clayton has played the fair,” Bowen said. “His popularity has risen with the release of ‘Georgia Calls Me Home’ and led him to play at Truist Park and open Atlanta Braves baseball games. He continues to write new music and perform his original tunes.”
On Friday, the crowd will enjoy Macon’s Uncle Earl and Friends.
“This seasoned band of performers will feature a wide variety of tunes from all eras,” Bowen said.
On Saturday, Kori Spires (is a) high-powered band that features Southern Rock, country and more. She was just nominated for Georgia Female Artist of 2022.”
The Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair was voted as the Best of the Boro’s Best Annual Community Event. In its 60th year, the week-long agricultural fair draws thousands from the region, serving seven local counties in 4-H, FFA and agricultural competitions. Proceeds from the Fair are distributed to numerous local charities and causes, returning tens of thousands of dollars back into the community each year.
Holli Deal Saxon is a Herald writer. She may be reached at (912) 243-7815.