The 69th Somerset County 4-H Fair takes place Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 10-12, 2016, at the North Branch Park 4-H Fairgrounds on Milltown Road.
BRIDGEWATER - The 69th Somerset County 4-H Fair takes place Wednesday-Friday at the North Branch Park 4-H Fairgrounds on Milltown Road. The fair is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and there is no charge to attend.
Here are 11 cool things to know about the fair.
1. The 4-H Prep Tent
Great for children in kindergarten through the third grade, this is where children can take part in a variety of activities and entertainment.
2. Farm Animals
For the first time in decades, 4-H'ers will exhibit pigs at the fair. They will join dairy and beef cows, as well as sheep, goats and a wide-variety of other animals.
The extremely challenging and fun classes are held on Friday. The Beef Obstacle course is at 10 a.m. The Alpaca Agility Course at 1 p.m., the Livestock Costume Class at 3 p.m. and the Goat and Sheep Obstacle Course is at 7:30 p.m.
Kids can try a full-size excavator at the fair
3. Dogs
Over 50 4-H Dog Club members will be on hand at the fair. There will be shows and tests each day of the fair. On Friday, The Seeing Eye Show is at 7 p.m. and the grand finale of fun events, the Maze and Agility contest starts at 8:30 p.m.
4. Food
Food at the fair is provided only by non-profit organizations. If you're looking for something new to try there's the pickle on a stick at Temple Beth-El or the chocolate covered bacon at the Russian Orthodox Church.
5. Robots
Robotics is the fastest-growing 4-H project in Somerset County. Fifteen volunteer leaders work with 75 4-H members in six clubs and, for the first time, these clubs will have a tent of their own at the 4-H Fair.
They will host a Lego Free Build every morning at 10 a.m., along with a High School Robotics Demonstration, Rokenbok Remote Controlled Vehicles and Robot Spin Art.
You can drive a Lego Mindstorms Robot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and see Ozobot Robots from 2-4 p.m. every day. Each evening from 6-10 p.m. the members will compete with robots they have built to meet the club challenge of the year.
Dogs and handlers ready for 4-H fair
6. High Flyers, Riding the Rails and Racing
The Mechanical Science Clubs are preparing their go karts, model trains, planes, rockets and RC cars for competitions around their tracks and in the air.
7. Parking
Free shuttle buses will run from Raritan Valley Community College on Route 28 in North Branch. Buses will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and will drop visitors by the footbridge at the entrance to the fairgrounds.
Visitors wishing to stay on top of parking conditions at the fairgrounds can sign up by texting the words: "Follow 4HAlerts" to "40404."
8. 4-H on Display
In the Arts and Science Tent you will find exhibits of cooking and sewing, fine arts, filmmaking and steampunk, magic, drama, twirling and double dutch. Beekeeping, therapy pets, scale models, entomology, archery, photography and board and computer games are also on display.
9. Entertainment
Free entertainment, amateur and professional, is happening at three different venues each day of the fair.
10. Check out their skills
There will be short, intermittent demonstrations each day in the Main Government Tent from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check the schedule in the Main Government Tent for a daily schedule. County groups will also have displays, and look for opportunities to enter contests and collect give-a-ways.
11. Operate an excavator
Kids can try a full-size excavator at the fair, thanks to the Somerset County Road Division. Located to the right of the footbridge entrance will be a full-size Gradall and excavator. There will be a variety of other children-friendly activities all three days of the fair.