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Motor on down to the fairgrounds

070717...R FAIR 1...07-07-17...4Her Lauren Phillips, 13, of Leavittsburg, a member of 4H Trumbull County Equestrians, paints the final details on the wooden cut out of her Miniture Pony attached to the front of it's stall at the Trumbull Co. fairgrounds Friday...Lauren will be showing her 12 yr. old Miniture Pony "Prince" and also a 21 yr. old Arabian named "Motion" during the upcoming fair...by R. Michael Semple

BAZETTA — Jack Lammers has learned a simple lesson in his years on the Trumbull County Fair Board.

“The Trumbull County Fair thrives on motors,” he said, and the board will give the people what they want with motorsports filling the grandstand for four of the six days of the fair, which officially opens Tuesday.

Auto racing is scheduled on Wednesday (late model touring series and sportsman mods) and Thursday (modified touring series and pure stock auto racing), a truck and tractor pull is slated for Saturday and a demolition derby is scheduled Sunday.

Lammers didn’t hesitate in saying the demolition derby is the most popular grandstand attraction.

“People love the smashing of the cars and the competition,” he said.

070717...R FAIR 7...07-07-17...Tyler Helco, 16, of Girard, left, Sara Sieczkowski, 17, of W. Farmington, center, and Brittany Dodds, 18, of Bristol, right, all summer employees with the Trumbull Co. Fairgrounds, move wooden benches into position under a tent at the fairgrounds Friday afternoon as preparations for the start of the TC Fair takes place...by R. Michael Semple

The grandstand will feature a different kind of horsepower as well. Harness racing is scheduled at 1 p.m. today and 5 p.m. Monday on free set-up preview days at the fairgrounds, and Dave Martin’s Bullride Mania will be the grandstand attraction on Friday.

For the first time in several years, the grandstand also will host a concert with Chris Higbee at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“We heard him down in a Columbus at a convention, found out he’s fairly local,” Lammers said. “We talked with him and were able to put together a contract with him. We’re excited about him coming to the Trumbull County Fair. He’s very patriotic and very country and western, which we feel works here.”

The western Pennsylvania singer and fiddler has played several area concerts in recent years. He’s been both an opening act and a headliner at the Warren Community Amphitheatre as part of the River Rock at the Amp concert series, and he’s performed at the annual Strimbu BBQ and a fundraiser last year for Inspiring Minds.

Admission to the fair is free on Tuesday, but there is a $5 charge to attend Higbee’s concert.

While music is a rarity in the grandstand, live music is a regular feature of the fair. About a dozen musical acts will entertain on the Bicentennial and Historical stages during the fair.

Michele Smith, who is in charge of the local entertainment committee said, “I just try to find something different, get a variety of people for it, and I like to keep it local … I try to get something that everyone would like.”

The lineup ranges from rock (Blue Siren) to country (Northern Whiskey, Joshua Lee Nelson) to blues (Damian Knapp) and from veteran acts like the Take II Band and Guys Without Ties to newcomers like Trouble Clef, featuring students from LaBrae High School.

Smith also opened up those stages to other types of entertainment. The Millennial Theater Company will perform excerpts from its upcoming production of “The Little Mermaid” for Kent State University at Trumbull Summer Stock, and students from area dance and martial arts schools will display their skills.

“I’m just trying to showcase the local talent, and I like to get kids involved in things,” she said.

WHAT: 171st Trumbull County Fair

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through July 16 with set-up days today and Monday.

WHERE: Trumbull County Fairgrounds, 899 Everett Hull Road, Bazetta

HOW MUCH: $8 on Wednesday and Thursday and $10 on Friday, Saturday and July 16 for general admission and $4 on Wednesday and Thursday and $5 on Friday, Saturday and July 16 for senior citizens. Admission is free on Tuesday and for set-up days. Rides are included with general admission and ride passes are $6 on Tuesday.

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