ROBERTSDALE, Alabama – Check out the ribbons and the rides at the 66th annual Baldwin County Fair Sept. 20-24 at the Baldwin County Fairgrounds, 19477 Fairground Road, behind Robertsdale High School.

“It keeps getting bigger and better every year,” said Fair Manager A.B. “Sonny” Hankins, “and as always we’re looking to provide wholesome fun and entertainment for the entire family.”

Established in 1948, the Baldwin County Fair is the longest running county fair in the state. Hankins, whose father was a founding member of the Baldwin County Cattle and Fair Association, has served on the board since 1958 and has served as fair manager since 2004.

After beginning life in Silverhill, the fair moved to Robertsdale in the early 1950s, where it operated from the same location on Palmer Street for more than 50 years. In 2007, the fair moved to the current 50-acre facility with a 78,000-square-foot, 2,200-seat arena. In 2008, the transition was completed with the opening of the 38,000-square-foot Baldwin County Coliseum.

The fair draws thousands of residents from throughout Baldwin County and the surrounding area each year, and this year organizers hope for bigger and better crowds with a wide variety of activities.

This year’s fair kicks off at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20 with an FFA Agriculture Education Day with education workshops held throughout the day for Baldwin County agriculture students.

The midway opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

“Arnold Amusement is once again providing our midway,” Hankins said. “They are one of the few remaining traveling midways in the country where you can come and enjoy a variety of rides.”

GooRoo’s in Robertsdale will provide food inside the Baldwin County Coliseum with a variety of food and beverage vendors on the midway, Hankins said.

In addition to numerous exhibits inside the coliseum, the Baldwin County Department of Archives & History will present an exhibit, along with exhibits from museums from throughout the county.

Other exhibits will include the FFA backyard gardening exhibits and a Pysanky Egg exhibit, along with livestock exhibits, a duck pond and baby chick exhibit, and the South Alabama Antique Tractor & Engine Club exhibit outside.

Daily features also include the Pony Express pony rides and petting zoo, a Teeny Weeny Circus with shows daily and Tim Brown Entertainment will be providing daily street fair music outside the Coliseum.

On Tuesday, NoVa Barrel Racing returns to the fair beginning at 7:30 p.m. with an FCCLA Sweet Potato Contest beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the Alabama 4-H Science School’s Herb Journey from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and the annual Bo Campbell Rodeo beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the arena. Fiddler Adam King will be a special guest performer during the rodeo and there will be a calf scramble each day at 8:30 p.m.

A kid’s tractor pull will be held beginning at 5 p.m. every day. Daily street fair music from Tim Brown Entertainment will also be featured every day beginning at 7 p.m.

This year a third one price day has been added. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, for $12 admission, all rides and entertainment are offered free of charge for all over 36 inches tall.

Friday and Saturday, general admission is $6 for adults. Admission is free every day for children under 12.

A sweet potato contest for Baldwin County FCCLA students, coordinated by Susan and Leonard Kichler, will be held Wednesday. Sponsors include the Alabama Sweet Potato Association, Baldwin County Board of Education, Family & Consumer Science, Farmers Federation and Sweet Potato Growers, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Thursday features free admission for seniors, military personnel and veterans from 3 to 5 p.m. The kazoo band from the George P. Thames Senior Center will perform at 4:30.

Friday and Saturday will feature the annual rodeo featuring Bo Campbell Productions beginning at 7 p.m. in the arena. A calf scramble will be held beginning at 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the arena.

“For the last 27 years this has been one of the highlights of the fair,” Hankins said, “and this year should be no different.”

Friday night is midnight madness with $20 arm bands for unlimited midway rides from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Rides from 5 to 10 p.m. are with tickets only. Saturday features $15 arm bands for unlimited rides from 1 to 5 p.m. and rides with tickets only from 5 p.m. to closing at 1 a.m.

A poultry and sheep show will be held Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. with goats, beef cattle and other livestock to follow.

Information about these and other items of interest are provided in the Baldwin County Fair special section, which was inserted in the Sept. 9 editions of all the Gulf Coast Media newspapers and are also available at fair offices and inside the Coliseum on fair days.

For more information call the fair office at 251-947-3247 or visit the fair website, www.baldcofair.com.