Lake County Fair Opens This Friday

    A Lake County tradition will renew starting this coming Friday night, when the Lake County Fair kicks open the gates for its 103rd edition. Running for ten days at the historic fairgrounds located at the intersection of CR 452 and CR 44 between Eustis and Umatilla, the fair returns with a full slate of live entertainment, youth livestock competitions, carnival rides and food, and much more.
   Shifting from its traditional Thursday night opening to Friday, April 5, the fair will extend through Sunday, April 14 this year. The shift allows the fair to experience two full weekends, and along with some date changes for livestock shows bring about the largest shift in the fair’s operations seen in many years.
   The fair is open on weekdays at 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. on weekends. Gates close at 10 p.m. daily, but rides remain open later. Adult admission is $12 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 60 and over, $3 for children ages 4-11, and no charge for admission for children ages three and under.
   A hallmark of the fair is the entertainment, and this year some old favorites return and are joined with new acts selected to bring a wide range of fun and excitement for all ages to the fairgrounds. Robinson’s Racing Pigs is back this year, as is the Agricabra ‘Magic of Agriculture’ show. The Brad Matchett Comedy Hypnotist show is also back this year, along with new shows including Kids Can Cook With Dianne Linderman, the Scales, Tails, and Teeth alligator wrestling, and Purgatory Iron Works, which features blacksmithing and woodworking performances.
   The popular steer show moves from its traditional Monday night spot on the calendar to Friday, April 5, the fair’s opening night. The show begins at 7 p.m., and the steer sale will be held on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. The beef show moves off opening night to Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m. Along the way, there will also be meat goat show (April 9), rabbit show (April 7), poultry show (April 6), and the big swine show will be held on April 12. In a change, the swine sale will start earlier than has been tradition, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 13.
   The fair is located at 2101 North CR 452 in Eustis. For more information, visit www.lakecofair.com or call 352-357-7111.