The Topsfield Fair opens Friday afternoon with giant pumpkins and a free nighttime concert with country sensation Phil Vassar.
The next night, fairgoers can catch a fireworks display, and on Sunday afternoon, up-and-coming country bands will battle it out in the Texas Country Showdown as they vie for the national title and $100,000 prize.
And that's just a small part of the first weekend of the 193rd annual Topsfield Fair.
With its agricultural exhibits, carnival midway and fried dough, the nation's oldest county fair runs from Friday through Columbus Day at the fairgrounds, 207 Boston St.
"The theme this year is the 'fun never grows old,'" general manager James O'Brien said.
One thing that is new this year is the start time on Friday, which is 1 p.m. O'Brien said the early opening will allow those attending the fair a chance to settle in before going to that night's concert.
After opening day, the fair runs from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Columbus Day.
The ceremonial Grand Parade from Topsfield Common kicks off Saturday at 9 a.m., with opening ceremonies and a flag raising at the fairgrounds at 10 a.m.
Fireworks will cap off the fair's first Saturday, but in between, you can catch Nashville songwriters Joey + Rory perform in the Grandstand at 7 p.m. and alternative act Mission Hill on the Trianon Stage at 8 p.m.
Also on Saturday, the fair will crown its Junior King and Queen at 11:30 a.m., also on the Trianon Stage.
For those in search of entertainment, there are nine Grandstand shows this year that are free with fair admission, including Vassar's 7 p.m. concert opening day and the Bengal Tiger Encounter at various times, Oct. 8 through 10.
Of course, you can catch the perennial agricultural favorites the fair is known for, including its 4-H exhibits and various buildings dedicated to beekeeping; sheep, goats and alpacas; rabbits; pigs; cattle; fruits and vegetables; poultry; flowers; and arts and crafts.
A big draw at various times throughout the fair will Robinson's Racing Pigs on Grange Road. Catch the power and elegance of the draft horse show, which takes place in the Arena on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There are also new attractions designed to appeal to a younger audience, such as the Maximum Velocity Professional Stunt Team, which will be doing tricks on BMX bikes throughout the fair on Arena Road.
Some top headliners who will take to the stage in Topsfield include Sean Kingston, who will perform in the Grandstand on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
This year, there are two paid concerts in the arena, and they take place on Oct. 8.
Pop groups Allstar Weekend and Burnham, the latter being a trio of three brothers from Vermont, play a morning concert starting at 11 a.m., with Burnham as the opening act. Tickets for this show are $15.
That evening, Mike Posner, whose hit single "Cooler Than Me" has garnered some significant air time, kicks off at 8 p.m., and tickets are $34.
There will be plenty of musical acts in addition to the paid concerts.
On Oct. 5, Ayla Brown, a former "American Idol" contestant and the daughter of U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, headlines in the Grandstand at 7 p.m.
You can catch homegrown child pop stars when Michael and Marisa perform on Oct. 8, with shows at 5 and 6 p.m. on the Trianon Stage.
On the first day of the fair, the All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off will draw worldwide attention to see which grower has cultivated the heaviest orange gourd. Joe Jutras of Rhode Island still holds the record with a 1,689-pounder weighed in 2007. Last year's winning pumpkin was grown by Steve Connolly of Sharon, and it weighed in at 1,675 pounds.
However, the event with the most heft will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 5, when there will be a birthday bash for Beulah the Asian elephant as she turns 46.
It's the first time the fair will fete Beulah, a longtime attraction at the petting zoo, which is run by R.W. Commerford and Sons of Connecticut. Beulah's birthday party will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Grandstand.
New to the fair this year are three rides for the midway, which is run by Fiesta Shows of Seabrook, N.H.: Vertigo, a swing ride which takes riders 90 feet in the air before swinging them around; Big Splash, a water raft plunge; and a Magic Maze Glass House.
One married woman will be crowned the 41st Mrs. Essex County on Sunday, Oct. 9, in Coolidge Hall, with the pageant starting at 2 p.m. The winner will become the official fair hostess next year.
Entry forms are due at noon, Oct. 6, and they are available at the fair's website or by calling 978-887-5000. Contestants must also demonstrate their cooking acumen.
Other attractions include the Rawhide Rodeo, which takes place in the Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 5; a Friesian Classic and Open Horse Show, in the Arena from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 6; and a scavenger hunt for concert tickets and other goodies, from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 7.
Closing day features a 3:30 p.m. Figure 8 Race, in which the racing is done on a figure-eight-shaped track that promises plenty of action, and a Demolition Derby at 7 p.m.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673, by email at eforman@salemnews.com or on Twitter @DanverSalemNews.
If you go to the Fair ...
What: The 193rd Topsfield Fair
Sponsored by: The Essex Agricultural Society
Times: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 30 only; Daily, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Parking: $10
Admission: $10, opening day and Oct. 3-6; $12 Oct. 7, weekends and Columbus Day; free, children under 8.
Three-day pass: $21.
Senior Citizen Day Oct. 3: $7
Active military member day Oct. 4: free
Advance discounted ride tickets: $20 for 11 rides, available at the box office at the main gate until Sept. 29.
Advance admission tickets: $8.50, at the box office until Sept. 29, or online until Sept. 27.
Paid concert ticket prices: Allstar Weekend with Burnham: $15; Mike Posner: $34
You can find information about discounted ride and fair admission tickets and purchase them at www.topsfieldfair.org through tomorrow.
Pick up discount fair tickets at: Dawson's Tru Value, Beverly and Topsfield; Marblehead Bank in Beverly and Marblehead; First National Bank of Ipswich and Zodiac Paints, Ipswich; Cherry Hill Creamery, Gibney Gardens and The Butchery, Danvers; The Salem News office in Beverly.
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