Food, thrill rides and entertainment. The Panhandle- South Plains Fair has it all.
The fair opens today at 1 p.m. at the fairgrounds at 4th Street and Avenue A.
Many different attractions will be available to fair-goers, such as exhibits, free entertainment, a carnival midway and concerts. The fair also will offer a flower festival, women's exhibits, a twirling festival, sheep dog trials and livestock shows.
Several concerts will be held in the Coliseum, the first of which is Charlie Daniels tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at any Select-A-Seat location or at the coliseum box office from noon to 5 p.m., said Cindy Isham, South Plains Fair employee.
"Our free concerts are the Katinas, a Christian group, performing on Monday at 7 and 9 p.m. They are sponsored by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal," she said. "KLLL is sponsoring Mark Wills on Thursday at 7 and 9 p.m."
Touring the fairgrounds will be Rock-It the Robot and Bruiser, the world's largest dog. These are fun characters for kids to enjoy, Isham said.
"Bruiser is a big puppet dog for kids," she said. "It looks like a big rag dog. He's just a big playful dog."
The Flying Fools High Dive show and Bruno's Tigers are two of the free outdoor entertainment shows. Bruno's Tigers are tigers that will perform tricks at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. everyday
"The Flying Fools High Diving Show is a 15-20 minute show consisting of Olympic and acrobatic-style diving, comedy diving, a breathtaking Fire Dive, and an exciting 80-foot high dive,"
according to the South Plains Fair Web site.
The women's exhibit building will house the winners from culinary, canning, arts and crafts, baking and clothing competitions, said Kara Hillis, coordinator of concessions and competitive events.
"Other buildings are the flower building, trade mart, commercial exhibits building and the livestock pavilion," she said. "There will also be a petting zoo for children."
For thrill-seekers, Reed Exposition Midway is providing 54 carnival rides, 18 of which are for children.
Cotton candy, funnel cake and foot-long hot dog lovers will enjoy the 57 food booths, Hillis said.
The fair is open at 1 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It operates until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday night.
Admission for adults is $5. For children ages 6 to 11, admission is $2. All children younger than 6 years old get in free. Parking is $3.
Friday is Wristband Day. With the purchase of a $15 wristband, fair-goers ride the rides unlimited from 1 p.m. to midnight.
Sept. 26 is College Day. All college students get in free with a college I.D. School-aged children, ages 18 and younger, get in free Monday through Wednesday, and admission for senior citizens is free on Tuesday.
Katelyn Mullen, a sophomore psychology major from Houston, said although she has never been to the Panhandle-South Plains Fair, she would consider going this year with her boyfriend.
"I think it would be a good date," she said. "We've been to a fair before, and we rode the Ferris wheel."
Be the first to comment on this article!