PARK HILLS — It’s July and the weather is warm. That can mean only one thing  — it’s time for the 135th St. Francois County Fair. Organizers are boasting that this year’s fair will be bigger and better than ever.

Fair Board President Steve Morris said this year’s fair will stay with last year’s theme of offering something for everyone.

“We are going to have an excellent fair this year,” he said. “I am very excited about the lineup we have each night. For a small gate admission, you can get into just about every attraction on the grounds and see a wide variety of entertainment.”

Morris said there will be a new carnival this year bringing new rides to the area. “We have one of the cleanest carnivals in the state coming to the fair,” he said.

Concert

Country music act Confederate Railroad headlines the five-day event with a concert on July 24. Confederate Railroad will perform at 7:30 p.m. on the race track of the St. Francois County Raceway. Admission to the concert is free with a $6 general admission. Seating for the concert will be first-come, first-serve in the bleachers of the grandstand. VIP reserved seating is available for purchase at $13 a ticket at various locations. For more information about tickets call Chris Cline at 573-315-9056, Donnie Davis at 573-431-6903 or Jason Loughary at 573-218-4929. VIP tickets costs are in addition to general admission to the fair.

Few acts have carved so distinctive a niche in modern musical history as Confederate Railroad. With their high-energy combination of honky-tonk rockers, sensitive ballads, and offbeat humor, they have created a unique identity that has brought them chart success, multi-platinum sales, and continued popularity as a road band.

Nearly five million albums later, there is no doubt that it works. Songs like "Queen Of Memphis," "Trashy Women," "Jesus And Mama," and "Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind" became major hits and established Confederate Railroad as a key part of country music's landscape during the genre's expansion of the '90s. The accolades kicked off with the Academy of Country Music's Best New Group award in 1993 and have included a Grammy nomination, and a host of nominations from the Country Music Association and the British Country Music Foundation.

Opening for Confederate Railroad will be Thunder Creek. Mike Horn, Matt Weyland, Jeff Timeus and Denny Hogenmiller have been wowing local crowds for the past several years with their flare for country music with a taste of rock, blues and oldies. The band opened for Daryle Singletary at the 2007 St. Francois County Fair and has also played at the Ste. Genevieve County Fair for the past two years.

Gate admission to the fair will be $4 on July 22, $5 on July 23 and $6 July 24-26. Season passes can be purchased for $15 in advance at Miller Feed Store, MFA in Farmington, the University of Missouri Extension Office, or from any fair board member.

Tuesday activities

The Missouri Western Horse Show Association’s (MWHSA) speed show gets events on July 22 on the fast track. The show will get under way at 6:30 p.m.

Fair Board Vice-president Donnie Davis said the regular show bill will be divided into two nights.

“By breaking the show into two nights we avoid having late night shows in the middle of the week,” Davis said.

On July 23 the second half of the show (all non-speed events) will get under way at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday activities

Gate admission begins at 1 p.m. on July 23. The field crops will be judged at 1 p.m. A junior livestock committee meeting will get under way at 5 p.m. The junior public speaking will take place at 6 p.m. The second half of the Missouri Western Horse Show Association horse show will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the arena.

Thursday activities

If you’re interested in the cattle, pigs and other livestock, Thursday is the day for you. The day will start at 9 a.m. with the livestock shows on July 24. The 4H dog show will be held at 2 p.m. The barnyard games and the junior livestock judging will take place at 6 p.m. The youth benefit auction will be held at 7 p.m. The stock dog trials will begin at 7 p.m. in the arena. The Confederate Railroad concert will get under way at 7:30 p.m. on the raceway. Just prior to the concert the St. Francois County Fair Queen Coronation will be held on the main stage.

Friday activities

Senior Day activities will be held 1-4 p.m. July 25. The antique tractor show will take place at 4 p.m. and the junior division sale of champions will be held at 7:30 p.m.

One change to the lineup this year is a switch in dates for the demolition derby and the truck and tractor pull. In previous years, the truck and tractor pull was held on Friday night and the demolition derby was held on Saturday night. This year because of added classes to the truck and tractor pull, it will be held on Saturday and the demolition derby will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday. A separate $10 admission is required for the demolition derby.

The Memphis Boys will be performing  and a Cowboy Mounted Shoot will be held in the arena at 7 p.m.

Saturday activities

Saturday is kid’s day. The 4-H shooting sports competition will get under way at 8 a.m. The junior horse show will take place at 10 a.m. and the draft horse show begins at 11 a.m. Kids day games will be held from 1-5 p.m.

“The Connection from the Patt Holt Singers” will perform Disney shows at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Patt Holt, the manager of the group, said the tribute to Disney show features gorgeous costumes along with the music from such classic movies as “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “Snow White” and “Hercules.”

Between shows, children will be allowed to pose for pictures with their favorite Disney characters. The shows are free with general admission to the fair.

Registration for the truck and tractor pull is at 1 p.m. The pull will start at 3 p.m.

Morris said he expects this year’s truck and tractor pull to draw a bigger crowd because additional classes have been added.

“We are offering classes for tractors, off-road trucks and semi-trucks,” he said. “You don’t see semi-truck classes at very many fairs.”

Pit passes can be purchased for $10.

Following the pull, Whiskey Creek will perform courtesy of Hub’s Pub. The concert is free with admission to the fair. Missouri Central 4D will host a speed show at 6 p.m. in the arena. Exhibition barrels will take place at 3:30 p.m.

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