Published: August 01, 2008 09:38 pm      

Mercer County Fair is new to school

PRINCETON — Concerts, contests, a rodeo, lawnmower racing, vendors and more are among the choices today as the Mercer County Fair continues at PikeView High School while the Downtown Bluefield Street Fair and Lemonade Days in South Bluefield also move ahead with their activities.

Gates open at 7 a.m. today at the county fair off Interstate 77 with registration for the PVHS Cross Country 5K Run and the PVHS Chorale Pancake Breakfast in the school cafeteria. The 5K run begins 8 a.m.

Soccer Camp registration, $10 each for K-5th grade, begins at 8:30 a.m.. 4H exhibit, the Remote Control Airplanes exhibition, and Pet Show registration starts at 9 a.m. After the 9:30 a.m. Pet Show, rabies shots will be available: $5 for a year shot or $7 for a 2-year shot.

The Peters Mountain Antique Tractor Pull registration will be from 9 to 11 a.m., with the tractor pull getting underway 11 a.m., the same time the 4H Livestock Show begins. Registration for single cylinder and twin cylinder lawnmower racing starts at 12:00 to 3 p.m., with racing starting at 4 p.m.

Music featuring Black Diamond and Sandy River Bluegrass starts at 6 p.m.

Among the many activities are a Bicycle Rodeo for ages 13 and under at 1 p.m., a Golf Workshop at 3 p.m., a Princeton Power Sports ATV Demo at 3 p.m. The Dog Days Poker Run also begins at 1 p.m.

Registration for the WVHSRA Rodeo closes at 6:30 p.m. and the rodeo itself starts at 7 p.m. Audience members should bring their own chairs.

More information is available at www.fairofmercercounty.com

In Bluefield, the 10th annual Downtown Bluefield Street Fair continues at 9 a.m. today with music; a Bluefield Union Mission auction from 11 a.m. to noon; the downhill derby from noon to 1:30 p.m.; a performance by the Starz Dance Troop from 2 to 3 p.m.; and a performance by Gary Bowling’s Edgemont Baptist Choir from 4 to 5 p.m.

The Lemonade Days celebration in South Bluefield is today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Activities include a farmer’s market all day; crafts and vendors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a dunking booth all day; children’s lemonade stands from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; children’s crafts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; free blood pressure and heart rate checks by Bluefield Regional Medical Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a Tae-Kwon-Do demonstration from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; a lucky lemon game at noon; lemonade stand judging from 12:30 to 1 p.m.; free lemonade and cotton candy from 1 to 4 p.m. a Bluefield Police Department K-9 demonstration from 1:30 to 2 p.m.; a visit by the Anassa II robot from Bluefield State College at 2 p.m.; a fire safety house demonstration from 4 to 9 p.m.; a performance by Daniel Vineyards from 4 to 9 p.m.; music by the Daily Telegraph’s Bill Archer and Karl Miller from 5 to 6 p.m.; and a free concert featuring the Collegians from 6 to 9 p.m.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com