Taking Tradition to New Heights: Dane County Fair runs through Sunday

The Dane County Fair is welcoming some new attractions this year, as well as keeping with tradition. The fair opened it gates on Wednesday for "Sneak-a-Peek" night. It officially runs Thursday through Sunday.

In addition to free nightly concerts, some new entertainment attractions that are free with fair admission include the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack shows and extreme bike stunt shows by the BMX Pros Trick Team.

Parking is free every day. On Thursday and Friday, admission is just $3 before 3 p.m. Otherwise, admission is:

5 and under: Free

6-11 years old: $3

12 and over: $8

Admission is free for the hero and a guest on Thursday. There will be special flag ceremonies with the American Legion Post 59 of Stoughton at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Heroes are encouraged to bring their IDs as many vendors will be offering discounts and special promotions. There will be an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The beef and sheep shows will be in Pavilion 2 and the horses will be in Pavilion 1. The LoveMonkeys will be on the main stage at 7 p.m.

Children of all ages will have the opportunity to be involved in a number of hands-on activities with Agri-Versity and Kids Day activities in the Exhibition Hall. Outside, there will be games with ESPN Madison. The Kiddie Farm is in Pavilion 2. The horse show will be in Pavilion 1 and the pig show will be in the Arena Building. Taking the main stage at 7 p.m. is Angels and Outlaws, a top 40 country band.

Saturday starts off with a Tractor Parade and Kiddie Tractor Pull. The AgVenture Scavenger Hunt will lead people throughout the fairgrounds. At 2:30 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall there will be a cooking demonstration with Inga Witscher. She's a dairy farmer and host of the PBS series, "Around the Farm Table."

Start the day with a non-denominational church service at 9 a.m. The main stage will be filled with all kinds of performances and activities. The Dane County Fair is proud to partner with La Movida to bring traditional Latino dance performances starting at noon. In Pavilion 2, watch as the top youth exhibitors compete for the Master Showman title at 10 a.m. Following that, is the popular "Dress-a-Critter" contest.

Fair Hours:

Gates open at 9:00 a.m.

Outdoor Exhibitors and Vendors: 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Exhibition Hall: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Carnival: 12:00 p.m. (Noon) - 11:00 p.m. The carnival will operate unless lightning.

To see the full list of activities and prices for events

Next year, the Dane County Fair will be July 16-19.