SALISBURY — The Wicomico County Fair will take place August 19-21, 2016 at Winterplace Park in Salisbury.
Hosted by the Wicomico Farm & Home Show and the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, there will be something for everyone to enjoy at this free, three-day event. The hours are Friday, Aug. 19 from 2-10 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 21 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
The fairgrounds open at 2 p.m. on Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Event attendees can enjoy rides and amusements, livestock exhibits and lots of delicious food and beverage choices including the beer and wine garden. The Salisbury Lions Club will be cooking up their famous fried chicken in the “5 Foot Fry Pan” all weekend and attendees can see the classic car show starting at 4 p.m. on Friday. The chicken and cornbread contests begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cake auction to follow at 7 p.m. J&J Shop Heliair will be offering helicopter rides throughout the weekend, starting on Friday, and there will also be various Tickled Paint – paint shows throughout the weekend.
Don’t forget to visit the Carriage House during the fair to see all the indoor entries which will include 4-H entries, arts & crafts, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, woodworking and more. Live entertainment will start Friday afternoon as Dylan and Troy take the stage at 2:30 p.m., followed by Red No Blue at 5 p.m. and Front Page News at 6:30 p.m.
Fair entertainment is sponsored by Robinson’s Family of Business, Wire Works and Hebron Savings Bank. Friday night will conclude with a fireworks show sponsored by Perdue Farms at 8:30 p.m. and entertainment by The Funsters at 9 p.m.
The fairgrounds open at 10 a.m. on Saturday with rides and amusements, the Wicomico Public Library’s Lego challenge and a jeep show hosted by Hogs and Heroes. There will be lots of educational activities throughout the weekend to help children learn about the poultry and agriculture industries including the Delmarva Poultry Industry Chick Tent & Incubator and Wicomico County Extension’s Education Corner. See the livestock exhibits throughout the day, the Delmarva Tractor Pullers, K9 Demonstrations with the Wicomcio County Sherriff’s Department and various community performers on the entertainment stage. Make sure to stop by the Shore Fresh Farmer’s Market from 1-4 p.m., the Hogs and Heroes motorcycle show at 1:30 p.m. and also visit the business and community booths around the fairgrounds and in the Carriage House.
Saturday evening activities include the Look Pretty, Play Dirty Petting Zoo, the highly anticipated Mason Dixon Deputies Mounted Shooting Competition and a benefit auction. Evening entertainment will kick off with Beauty for Ashes at 5 p.m., Red Sammy at 6:30 p.m. and Petting Hendrix to close the night from 8:30-10 p.m.
The fairgrounds open at 11 a.m. on Sunday. A church service led by Reverend Oren Perdue of Salisbury Baptist Church will be open to the public and rides and amusements begin when the fair opens with an unlimited riding wristband option. The Touch-A-Truck Show starts at noon, along with the second day of the Mason Dixon Deputies Mounted Shooting Competition and the Delmarva Coon Hunter’s mule show. Enjoy livestock showings in the barn, community performers, educational exhibits and business and community booths throughout the day.
Sunday is “Bluegrass Sunday” on the entertainment stage with performances by Charles Paparella at 12:30 p.m., Blind Wind at 2:30 p.m. and No Spare Time at 4:30 p.m. The awards presentation will begin at 4:30 on Sunday afternoon.
In 2015, the Wicomico Farm and Home Show and the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce joined forces to create the Wicomico County Fair. The Farm & Home Show was looking to attract a broader audience and add new elements to their 78-year-old event. SACC was exploring how to continue the tradition of the Delmarva Chicken Festival after the event had been retired. Combining elements from both events was the answer that would assist in promoting agriculture in Wicomico County and more specifically, the poultry industry.