FAIRGOERS ENJOY A thrill ride at the 2023 Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba. The fair returns today and will continue all week. (Ilsa Minor/Daily Press photo)
ESCANABA — The Upper Peninsula State Fair — “connecting agriculture and community,” as this year’s saying goes — will began at 5 p.m. Eastern time today and conclude at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at the grounds in Escanaba.
A number of sights, activities and entertainment will run every day. All fair activities are on Eastern time.
At the front of the grounds is the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Pocket Park, which is designed to inform about the outdoors and introduce the less-experienced to catch-and-release fishing, archery and shooting.
The Steam and Gas Village in the southeast is full of antiques and knowledgeable, passionate volunteers.
Tuesday through Sunday, FIRST Robotics teams from area schools will demonstrate what their remote-controlled creations can do. In exhibition buildings, fine art will be on display. Cows, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and more will fill the barns; many will compete in shows or be judged on presentation. “The Cheese Lady” Sarah Kaufmann will carve a cheese sculpture live inside a freshly painted cooler at the Miracle of Life Pavilion.
Food, drinks, and rides from the long-lived and well-loved Skerbeck Entertainment Group will line the midway, opening at 11 each morning. White doves will be released near the poultry barn at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, weather permitting. The strolling piano will make a few evening and late-night appearances between Wednesday and Sunday.
On top of all the regular hubbub, some things are scheduled intermittently with timed shows, and each day has its own theme.
TODAY
When the gates open at 5 in the evening to the national anthem, a horse show also kicks off. An hour later, Escanaba Motor Speedway racing roars to life in the grandstand. At 6:30 p.m., the queen court crowning takes place in the beef show ring.
Two performances from the acrobatic dogs of K-9s in Flight occur Monday night, one at 8 and one at 9:30.
TUESDAY
On “Chewsday,” participating food vendors will offer samples and discounts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Texas Roadhouse’s prize wheel will be spinning throughout the day.
This is also the only day to feature a block of time — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — made to be gentler for people with sensory sensitivities; lights and sounds will be reduced for those two hours. This is the first time the fair has tested a sensory-sensitive period at the fair, and it will serve as a trial for the future.
Early in the morning — before the midway rides start up — are the junior pleasure and speed horse shows, the junior beef cattle show, and the junior and open rabbit shows.
K-9s in Flight performs at noon and 2:30 p.m.
The junior and open goat shows take place from 6 p.m.
Succeeding the single-elimination cornhole tournament that begins at 10 a.m., the American Cornhole Competition becomes the evening grandstand entertainment at 8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Wellness Day features a setup in the activities tent specifically geared toward senior citizens. The event, which offers a lunch for a suggested donation to those 60 and older and at a small fee to others, is sponsored by the Community Action Agency and takes place from 11 a.m. until a little after 2 p.m.
At 8:30 and 9 a.m. respectively will be an open fun horse show and the swine junior show.
K-9s in Flight may be seen at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
A draft horse show will be at 3 p.m. The junior and open sheep shows start at 5 p.m.
The grandstand opens at 7 p.m. for an 8 p.m. performance from country music star Tracy Byrd, with special guests The Riflemen.
THURSDAY
Honored Citizens Day means $5 admission for Native Americans and free admission for veterans. Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist will attend and speak.
The morning will see the open beef cattle show, junior dairy show and junior and open poultry show.
A horse jumping show begins at noon; the open dairy show is at 1 p.m.
A Native American celebration will be at 2 p.m.
K-9s in Flight have acts at 2:30, 4:30 and 6 p.m.
An overall showmanship award is to be presented about 6:30 p.m.
Country singer Hailey Whitters will play to the grandstand at 8 p.m., with doors opening an hour earlier.
FRIDAY
Women’s Day and Men’s Night will bring a cooking show at 10 a.m. and golf and hunting simulators at 5 p.m.
The livestock skillathon starts at 9 a.m. The Scottish Highland cattle show will be at 10 a.m. An open speed horse show takes place at noon.
The beef supreme champion will be awarded shortly after showing at 4 p.m.
The market chicken and egg auction is at 6 p.m.
At 7 p.m., the strolling piano DJ will join the activities tent that also hosts the simulators, casino, massage chair, drinks and more.
Rock bands Saliva and Fuel will be Friday night’s grandstand bands starting at 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
Agriculture Day is presented by Tractor Supply.
The morning is for equine events: halter and English open shows will be followed by a miniature horse show.
The “D&D Dog Show Spectacular,” open to participants for a small fee on the day, features a number of categories for competition.
The junior market livestock auction begins in the beef show ring at 11 a.m.
Saturday’s K-9s in Flight shows are at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Horse pulls will take place at 5 p.m.
After the grandstand opens at 7 p.m., the country musicians of Parmalee take the stage at 8 p.m.
SUNDAY
On Family Day and Scout Day, scouts in uniform enter for free, so long as those younger than 12 are accompanied by an adult.
An open Western horse show will begin at 10 a.m.
K-9s in Flight perform at 2, 5:30 and 8 p.m.
Grandstand doors open at 5 p.m. for rock band The Failsafe, which plays at 6 p.m.
The piano makes its last strolls at 7:30 and 9 p.m. — the latter as a DJ.
While barns are open until 10:30 on all other days, they close at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The fair wraps after the fireworks display in the grandstand at 10 p.m.
All buildings close at 10:30 each night, except on Sunday, when the barns close at 5:30 p.m. Grandstand doors always open an hour before scheduled entertainment. Entry to the grandstand is included with regular fair admission, which can be purchased online or at the gate, but closer-up “Gold Circle” tickets may be purchased for an additional fee.
More information may be found on upstatefair.net.