More than 50 acts, activities, bands and groups will take to the Main Stage at the Hunterdon County 4-H and Agricultural Fair, being held Aug. 24-28, 2016.
EAST AMWELL TWP. -- More than 50 acts, activities, bands and groups will take to the Main Stage at the Hunterdon County 4-H and Agricultural Fair, all included in the fair admission of $10 vehicle for parking.
Olivia Spildooren of Flemington plays the fiddle with Dave Bond's Real Country Band at the 2015 Hunterdon County 4-H and Agricultural Fair. (Photo by Terry Wright) Besides regional performers, plenty of local talent will entertain at the fair, which runs Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 24-28, at the South County Park on Route 179 near Ringoes.
"Tractor Dave" Bond, a Delaware Township farmer, and his Real Country band take the stage Thursday, Aug. 25, at 8. This group, usually the most popular at the fair, follows the 5:30 show of Citizens Band Radio, a country rock group from Woodglen in the northern tip of Hunterdon.
Entertainer Dan "Dr. D" Torrone of Clinton, a former Hunterdon 4-H sheep club member, handles the Main Stage activities and has arranged a variety of acts and attractions. Each day he opens the Main Stage at 11 a.m. with a welcome, trivia contest, music, fun and prizes.
He's followed immediately at noon on opening day by the first edition of "4-H Live on Stage," in which members of various 4-H clubs show or tell something related to their projects. The presentations will continue at various times during the fair.
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That's followed by the Bob Lloyd "More than Magic" show, and then a performance by the Lehigh Valley Cloggers. An act new to this fair, Willie Wonka's Wild World of Magic, is at 3. According to Torrone, the entertainer, in appropriate costume, combines the character and magic, in a show appealing to all ages. It will be repeated multiple times during the fair.
Fair Opening Ceremonies start Wednesday, Aug. 24, around 4, including the 4-H Parade of Clubs, awards, speakers and presentations, followed by performance by Roger's Dance Academy.
And at 7:30 p.m. there's "Movie Night with Dr. D," including a "Name That Tune" contest, trivia, prizes and the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at dusk. That's right after the Unity Bank's "Blizzard of Dollars" in which a person chosen from the audience stands in an enclosed booth filled with cash in various denominations, blown around by a fan, and gets to pick up (and keep) as much as possible in a minute.
Torrone brings back some popular attractions to each fair and also welcomes new acts. Sunday afternoon will have two: Tino's Hawaiian Entertainment Extravaganza and the Mariachi Nuevo Mexico Passions and Traditions show.
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The Hawaiian group includes hula dancers, drummers and fire dancers, "a spectacular show, it's very different, gives us a different feel on the Stage," Torrone said. Similarly, the Mexican group puts on a genuine Mariachi act, dressed in authentic garb, and is very rare in this region, he noted. It brings something never before offered at the fair.
Each day's Main Stage schedule includes something new, "Hunterdon's Got Talent" which gives a platform to local performers to show their skills. The segment will be on stage a total of seven times during the fair.
The Arestov Family Circus Acrobatics Stage Show will entertain several times Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The group has been part of the fair before but this is a different type of performance, Torrone noted.
The biggest entertainment on Friday, Aug. 26, will be the fireworks show, starting around 9 p.m. But Torrone has the Main Stage fully booked all day, including the Bell-Tones, a female vocal trio featuring songs from the 1950s and 60s, at 5:30, another "Blizzard of Dollars" at 7:30 and then the Mahoney Brothers "Juke Box Heroes" show. They're a musical impersonation group, featuring the songs and mannerisms of Neal Diamond, Elvis, Elton John, Willie Nelson and others.
The action Saturday, Aug. 27, on the Main Stage schedule is also jam-packed, with musical acts including the Cowboy Chuck Pierman Show, featuring Bill Ponnett and friends in the late afternoon and the Stone Hearth Band, a bluegrass group, at 6.
The Polish American String Band, a Philadelphia tradition formed in 1933, is the night's featured attraction at 8. Winner of numerous prizes in the New Year's Day Mummers Parade, the group returns to the fair in full Mummer regalia after appearing some years ago.
"It's just a great show," Torrone enthused, "with Americana music, and captivating because of the costuming and what-not."
On Sunday, Aug. 28, the stage action starts out at 9 a.m. a program of inspirational and sacred music "Reflections in Song," featuring the groups Messenger and Voices from the Rock.
Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Saturday, and closing at 5 on the final day. For more information and a complete list of Main Stage activities as well as details on other shows, contests and events at the fair, go to its new website.