LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
Chairman of the Laurel County Fair Board Jimmy Durham is spearheading the summer event in a new and improved direction. As a component of the Laurel County Fair in some capacity for up to 12 years, Durham has his sights set on big bands, more acreage and the elimination of the crazed demolition derby.
“The fair is going to get bigger and better, and we’ve got a good Fair Board now,” Durham said.
Demolition derbies are a thing of the past, Durham says and cars are being traded in for scrap metal anymore. In the past there would be about 20 cars at the line-up slamming into each other, and last year only six competed. Some people like motor sports, but on the other hand some can’t afford to attend great concerts, so this year a high-energy musical line-up will take the demo-derby’s place.
“I’m going to bring some good musical value entertainment to the fair, hopefully this year we are going to start and keep building that each year. I guess I’m a rarity, I probably go to 40 shows a year so I’m going to kick that portion of the fair up a bit,” Durham said.
Musical talents such as local band The Grand Jury, and music guests The Medley Boys, Sweetheart Mafia and Candy Coburn will take the stage. In the future, pop inspired talents will join in with the country and rock bands for a full-range of genres to suit all ages. KD Country-T107 will sponsor a Laurel County sing-off event at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for locals to take their vocals to the next level with a $300 cash prize. The sing-off will take place of the annual karaoke.
Admission for entry to the fair will be $10 across the board and anyone under 36 inches will not be allowed by federal regulation to ride any ride. Before, prices were $8 for adults and $6 for children. Kids will receive their fair share of fun with more than 30 rides just for them, but the inflatables will be no more. Instead, the Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue will take its place with exotic animals rescued from across the U.S. Pageants will take place on Wednesday and Thursday from Little Miss and Little Mister to Pre-Teen and Teen, and Saturday’s Children’s Pageant from newborns to 4-years-old.
More than $20,000 of improvements have been implemented upon the fairgrounds with new signage, renovated baseball fields, scoreboards, shelter house and freshly painted parking lot. “It’s a nice clean facility, and we’re making the best of what we have. We’ll make it a fun, family- friendly atmosphere,” Durham said.
The Laurel County Fair Board is currently looking for commercial playground equipment to add to the space as well as 100 more acres to combine with the current 50 acres. Space is the biggest limitation for the future of the fairgrounds, when Durham aspires to have an amphitheater, and coincide the Laurel County Fair with the Laurel County Agriculture Fair.
“We’re trying to make it bigger and better in the future because if I’m going to put my stamp on it now. We are going to make a lot of changes,” Durham said. The Laurel County Fair runs July 10-14 is sponsored by the London-Laurel Ruritan Club and presenters this year are Little Caesars Pizza, Wayne Supply in Corbin, Legacy Nissan, Hixon & Co. Excavation, and HomeTown Bank.
For more information about the Laurel County Fair visit www.laurelcountyfair.com.
mmccrarey@sentinel-echo.com
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The Laurel County Fair will run Tuesday through Saturday at the Laurel County Fairgrounds.
July 10, 2012
Big plans in store for L.C. Fair
Annual event runs Tuesday through Saturday
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The road leading up to the resting place of Levi Jackson, the first Laurel County Judge, is completed. A dedication ceremony will take place on Friday, May 24 at 1 p.m.
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Daniel Neal (12) is congratulated by his teammates after he smacked a grand slam home run in South Laurel’s 7-4 win over Somerset Friday night. For Neal, it was his third homer in two games, as he hit two two-run shots Thursday night in a 12-7 win over Hazard.
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