Coastal Plains Agricultural Fair kicks off Oct. 31

Published 3:00 pm Sunday, October 29, 2017

By Eve Guevara

eve.guevara@gaflnews.com

TIFTON — The 82nd Annual Coastal Plains Agricultural Fair is coming to town Tues. Oct. 31 through Sun. Nov. 5.

The fair will kick off at 6 p.m. on Halloween night, and kids under 12 who are wearing a costume will get in for free with a paying adult.

Entry to the fairgrounds is $5, and armbands for unlimited rides are $15 Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday and $18 on Friday and Saturday.

On the first night of the fair, any college student with a valid college ID will get in for free.

High school and middle school students will get in for free with their ID on Wednesday and there are passes for elementary students and younger children to allow two children, each with their own pass, to get in free with one paying adult on Thursday.

Tuesday through Thursday the fair will be open from 6 p.m. until the gate slows down, usually between 10 or 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday they want to run until midnight, and the Sunday times are 1-6 p.m.

As always, local groups, businesses and organizations will have informational booths set up inside the event building.

Student groups, farm equipment vendors, veterans groups and churches are among the 67 booths that will be available for fairgoers to see before they reach the fair itself.

In addition to rides, the fair will feature local food vendors, such as the Amaya family and the American Legion Auxiliary.

“This is our biggest fundraiser,” said Terry McStott, senior vice commander of American Legion Post 21, who hosts the fair each year.

The American Legion uses the proceeds generated from the fair to support veterans and youth programs in the community.

They support the VA clinic, veteran organizations and even helped out financially with home repairs for veterans during the tornados this past January.

Post 21 does all of the work to advertise and put on the fair, as well as maintaining the fair grounds and buildings.

McStott said that they’re hoping to draw in new, younger membership.

“The more (people) we’ve got to work with us and help us the better we can prepare and put on an better show,” he said.

Anyone who has served in the military with an honorable discharge, including the reserves and National Guard and active duty, who has served one day on active duty during a time of conflict is eligible for membership.

Tommy Treadway, post commander, said that the fair has been accident free for the entire 82 years the American Legion has been putting on the fair.

Stephen Scott, fairgounds manager, wanted to thank the Tift County school system and the Tift County School Board for allowing them to put tickets in the schools for the kids.

Scott said that he would like to see more agriculture featured at the fair.

“Back when Tift County was agriculture (heavy) this was an agricultural fair,” he said. “We don’t have the livestock shows and the canned peaches and the peanut samples, which I would like to see come back.”