LAWRENCE COUNTY It's time again for fair to start

The calliope from the Idora Park carousel will be displayed and played all day Wednesday.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- For many, the Lawrence County Fair is old home week.
"The majority of the people spend the week at the fair. It's a vacation, and it's an enjoyable time for them," said Bob Fleming, one of the fair directors.
But even those who can't set up camp on the grounds this week will find something to do and see, Fleming said.
The 48th annual Lawrence County Fair kicks off Monday at the fairgrounds, about three miles east of New Castle on Pa. Route 108.
Livestock: There will be all types of livestock, with a record number of cows on hand, said Clarence Boots, fair board president. As of last week, they were expecting 530 cows.
"We always have high numbers in that area. I don't know why, it just seems some fairs have more of one thing. The Canfield Fair is great for horses; dairy cows seem to be a big thing over here," Boots said.
There will be other animals, such as rabbits and horses -- along with crafts, clothing, needlecraft and other items.
Entertainment: Entertainment's another draw, with a magician and many local musicians performing each day.
A new attraction this year will be the calliope from the Idora Park carousel.
Fleming said the musical instrument is owned by antique collectors from Franklin, Pa., who have agreed to display and play it all day Wednesday.
"Idora was a beautiful park, and we all miss it. Hopefully this will bring back some memories," he said.
The nightly grandstand entertainment will include the rodeo, tractor pull and country musician Chad Brock.
New to the grandstand will be a combine demolition derby.
"That's going to be a real zinger," Fleming said. "Naturally the combines will be quite old, but it will be something nobody in Lawrence County has ever seen before."
The traditional demolition derby featuring automobiles is set for Saturday night.
Improvements to grounds: Fair board members say they have made several improvements to fairgrounds this year, including doubling the seating in the grandstand by adding new bleachers, upgrading electric throughout the grounds and making areas more accessible to people with physical disabilities.
There will also be signs reminding people to wash their hands thoroughly as part of state health officials' effort to combat diseases such as hoof-and-mouth disease at county fairs, Fleming said.
Waterless hand sanitizers will also be placed throughout the fairgrounds, he said.
Fair directors say their biggest effort each year is to keep the fair family oriented.
"We try to keep everything as family oriented as we can so that mom and dad can come and bring the kids, and they don't have to worry about the kids' running off and hearing or seeing something they don't want them to see," Fleming said.
The fair will run through Saturday.