Collier County Fair opens February 4th, 2010

Collier County Fair: Annual event opens Feb. 4, 2010
By HARRIET HOWARD HEITHAUSPublished Thursday, January 28, 2010

Starve yourself for several days and pray for fair weather. Literally. The Collier County Fair opens Thursday, with its midway rides, 4-H competitions and, of course, favorite fair foods.

Among the daily favorites are the Show Me Swine Racers, a field of racing pigs who can circle the track in jig time; Rosaire’s trained bears; Granpa Cratchet, a puppet with comic wisdom to dispense; the show of Kachunga and the Alligator; the Sea Lion Splash; magician Jason Hudy; and Pickles the clown.

There are kids’ tractor pulls nearly every day, and music shows Feb. 5 (Anchored To Rock Gospel band) and Feb. 13 and 14. And the reason for the fair — livestock competitions, 4-H demonstrations and cooking and agriculture entries in the Family Living/Education tent — is a fascinating part of it too. Watch the judging of cavies (guinea pigs), cattle, goats, sheep and swine; check out engineering projects and sewing and handwork.

Events like the demolition derby, 7 p.m. Feb. 6; the truck pull, 4 p.m. Feb. 7; and a bull-riding competition, 5 p.m. Feb. 14, offer amateurs a chance to star. Those with kitchen talent can enter the Family Bar-B-Q Cookoff, with family and professional divisions, for $25 and $50 respectively. Entry forms for all four events are on the fair Web site:

www.colliercountyfair.com

Location: Collier County Fairgrounds; Immokalee Road, behind the Collier County Extension Service offices, 10 miles east of Naples

Regular admission: 12 and older, $10; 6-11 years, $5; 5 and younger, free (strollers are $5, wagons and wheelchairs $10); megapass for unlimited entry, $20

Parking: Free

Ride coupons: $1; armbands for unlimited rides are available for selected days at prices set according to fair hours:

* Thursday: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; entry free with can of dog or cat food; armband, $10

* Feb. 5: :5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.; moonlight madness night; armband, $20

* Feb. 6: noon to 1 a.m.; seniors 60 and older, $5

* Feb. 7: noon to 11 p.m.; 4-H day, 4-H members free with card; armband, $20

* Feb. 8: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; family night; $5 per family with a can of nonperishable food; armband, $15; kiddie ride armband, $5

* Feb. 9: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Fifth-Third Bank night; adults, $5, children, $3; armband, $10

* Feb. 10: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; church youth group night; armband, $15

* Feb. 11: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; mother and daughter night; free admission for women

* Feb. 12: 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.; midnight madness night; admission and armband, $20

* Feb. 13: noon to 1 a.m.; regular admission

* Feb. 14: noon to 10 p.m.; family block party day; admission and armband, $15; admission only, $5