A kaleidoscope of color and constantly changing events await the public at the 1991 Utah State Fair, which opens Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City.
A number of pre-opening activities, including the Miss Utah State Fair Queen Pageant preliminaries and Utah State Fair Foundation dinner, will be held Wednesday evening, with the fair gates opening at 3 p.m. Thursday.Fairgoers will be admitted free from 3 until 5 p.m. Thursday. From the opening Thursday until the closing at 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, there should be plenty to delight everyone - whether you're a country-western music or rodeo fan or revel in vegetable displays.
The fair is also planned to please fine arts and home arts enthusiasts and for those who enjoy sand sculpturing and chili cookoffs or who just enjoy meandering through a multitude of beef and dairy cattle, poultry, rabbit and goat exhibits.
The Utah Symphony will perform and a fireworks display is planned on the final evening, with dozens of events in between.
"We're showcasing Utah talent at its best. We're America's Finest Fair," said Jackie Nokes, the fair's manager and director, as she and fair board chairman Bill Shaw outlined improvements at the fair, which last year attracted 380,000 people.
With fair weather - as it appears there will be most of the time through the end of the week -"we're hoping for 400,000" or more visitors, Nokes said.
Many areas, previously covered only by dirt, are in grass and other areas will be planted in grass and flower beds after the fair is over.
Entries have increased in all areas of the fair. "We've had more inquiries than ever before about the fair. The photography division took in $3,000 in entry fees, a 50 percent increase over last year," Judy Terry, fair coordinator, said.
In fine arts, fairgoers will view about 400 entries, with increased numbers of stained glass and sculpture, said Rosalyn Drage, fine arts supervisor.
Fair admission is $4 for adults, with youths ages 6 through 16, $2, and children 5 and under, free. Those 62 and older will be charged $2. Fairgoers with $10 reserved seats or $7 general admission tickets to the musical shows in the grandstand will be admitted to the fair free.
Sunday, Sept. 8, is Armed Forces Day at the fair, with all military personnel with a current military ID card being admitted free.
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Fair schedule:Thursday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - State 4-H Team Horse Show.
9 a.m. - Miss Utah State Fair Queen Pageant finals, grandstand.
3 p.m. - Fair officially opens.
3-5 p.m. - Free admission to the fair.
5-10 p.m. - Folk artist demonstrations.
5, 7 and 9 p.m. - Skateboard and in-line skating demonstration, south of bandstand.
5:30 p.m. - Parade and opening ceremony, bandstand.
6 p.m. - James Nicks and The Night Crew, bandstand.
6 p.m. - Dick Stucki, Dutch oven demonstrator, specialty tent.
6 p.m. - Rhodes Bake N' Serve demonstrations, Home Arts Building.
6 p.m. - Cabaret Dancers, fairgrounds.
6-8.m. - S. Frank Stringham, balloons
6:30 p.m. - Ricky Skaggs, featured act, grandstand.
6:30 p.m. - Kamryn Hanks, singer, south plaza.
6:30 p.m. - Dick Stucki, Dutch oven demonstrator, specialty tent.
6:30 p.m. - "The Ultimate Gourmet," specialty tent.
6:30 p.m. - Salt Lake Trappers, "Dunk a Trapper," fountain tent.
6:30-7:45 p.m. - Clark Combo Band, bandstand.
6:30-8:30 p.m.- Chris Earl Band, grounds.
6:30-8:30 p.m. p.m. - Salt Lake Earl Band, grounds.
7 p.m. - PRCA Rodeo, rodeo arena.
7 p.m. - Layne B. Wilden, singer, bandstand.
7 p.m. - Hula hoop contest, fountain tent.
7-8 p.m. - Square dancers, until 8 p.m., east of Fairpark Grand Building.
7-8 p.m. - Crosstown Quartet, grounds.
7-8 p.m. - Scots Band, grounds.
7:30 p.m. - Rodgers School, performing group, south plaza.
7:30 p.m. - Ices, cake decoration demonstration, Home Arts Building.
8 p.m. - Hills of Home, singers, bandstand.
8-9 p.m. - Dale Myrberg, yo-yo expert, grounds.
8-9 p.m. - Shannon Ingleby, juggler, grounds.
8-9 p.m. - Mexican folk dancers.
8:30 p.m. - Sweet Harmony, singing group, south plaza.
9 p.m. - Bavarians, German band, bandstand.
9:15 p.m. - Ricky Skaggs, featured act, grandstand.
9:30 p.m. - Salt City Cloggers, dancers, south plaza.
10 p.m. - Robert Ingleby, magician, bandstand.