For 138 years, the Cobleskill Fair has been all about agriculture.
But with local farmer Richard Ball now State Agriculture Commissioner, the 2014 Fair will be stepping up its celebration of all things farm, beginning with cows.
The Fair opens Saturday, July 26, and runs through August 3.
All eight of those days, the dairy barns will be filled-with cows-something the Fair had gotten away from as farmers found it difficult to combine time at the Fair with milking and chores at home.
"It's been a long time since we've had an ag commissioner from Schoharie County," said Fair President Doug Cater, "and it's something we should be proud of. Everyone knows Richard; he's one of us.
"We're really going above and beyond to celebrate our farms at the Fair, whether it's our dairy farms or local food."
With that in mind, every day of the Fair from 4-7pm, the Party Tent Theater will feature Taste of the Region with free samples from local farms and restaurants.
This Saturday, from noon-4pm, there will be an open house at the Hall of Agriculture with refreshments from the local Dairy Princess and Maple Queen, as well as daily contests for the best apple pie and chocolate jumbles, and the ugliest cake.
And there's more.
"People don't typically think of things like the pedal tractors or hay bale toss when they think of the Fair," Mr. Cater said, "but they'll all lend to the county fair atmosphere and they'll be there as well."
For those who want a little more excitement with their milk punch, there will be a XPOGO and BMX stunt shows in front of the grandstand Thursday and a Roll Over Derby Saturday as well as truck and tractor pulls, three demolition derbies, monster trucks, and a rodeo.
At the Fair for the first time will be the Eudora Farm Petting Zoo and Neecha Braun & Her Amazing Dobermans; returning will be Hilby, the German Juggler Boy, Hot Dog Pig Racing, and Big Cat Encounter.
"We really do try to have something for everyone," Mr. Cater said.
Especially if you like music from the 1980s-and beyond.
The Party Tent Theater will host a Macho Man Village People tribute this Saturday (come early for a Village People look-alike contest), and Saturday, August 2 will be 3 Pianos, an Elton John, Billy Joel and Jerry Lee Lewis tribute.
"I think it'll be wild," Mr. Cater said with a laugh, "and that's what it's all about. We want people to have a good time."
In between will be tributes to Zac Brown, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, the Beach Boys, and Kenny Chesney; Dani Moz, a Delmar native who was one of the finalists on season six of The Voice, will perform in the Party Tent Theater this Saturday as well.
At the horse end of the Fairgrounds, Mr. Cater said he expects as many as eight six-horse hitches for Tuesday's draft horse show, harness racing will be Monday at 11am with shows and competitions throughout the Fair.
Powers Midway is back and first the first time ever, Brook Evans, who's spent much of his life in fair and circus midways, will debut his hand-carved miniature circus exhibit.