Fair Play: Fun For All

This rising country star brings a mix of modern country and southern rock with his rural party anthem "Kick it in the Sticks," and the romantic tune "You Don't Know Her Like I Do." "We're trying to attract young adults to our community, rather than have them go to Blossom [Music Center] or something similar," says Medina County Fair president Conrad Haneberg.

Be prepared to get very, very sleepy at Mike Bishop's annual comedy show. The Ohio hypnotist convinces volunteers they have 11 fingers, a shoe is a phone and more. "You're looking at imagination running wild," Bishop says. "You'll realize the mind has more dimension and power than you thought it did."

Montgomery Gentry, a Grand Ole Opry-inducted duo, brings old and new hits to this fair with tracks such as "Hillbilly Shoes" and "Where I Come From." "County fairs and country music go hand in hand," says Tim Buchs, director of entertainment. "Montgomery Gentry has a history in the business. ... We're hoping to appeal to several different age groups."

Balloon artists have nothing on Ben Risney, who uses a high-powered chainsaw to carve detailed sculptures of wild animals during his speed-art demonstrations. "After 20 years, you start to figure things out," he says. "You can really dive into it and go as quick as you can."

It may not have the adrenaline rush of other races, but the Great Geauga County Fair's Diaper Dash will have no shortage of cuteness as infants 8 to 13 months crawl their way toward the finish line. "I just love watching the parents react — and the babies," says event director Natalie Loze. "Some will go halfway and then just stop and sit down."

With more imaginative entries each year, including a castle complete with a fire-breathing dragon, it's no wonder the Hay Bale Contest is getting competitive for the staff of Erin Astley and Gene Henderson's Elyria-based dental practice, two-time contest winners. "Last year they were already thinking about what they were going to do this year," says fair office manager Charisse Nikel.

DockDogs tests canines' athleticism and their dedication to their favorite chew toy. One part of the worldwide aquatics contest measures the jumping ability of dogs by sending them leaping off the end of a dock to retrieve an object. "Anybody can give it a try as long as their dog likes water and has a toy drive," says DockDogs CEO Grant Reeves.

More than 40 birds will compete, but only one hen and one rooster will go head-to-head for the win. Each contestant places a chicken in a mailbox 8 feet off the ground. The bird is then nudged with a plunger to see which one flies the farthest. "We've been doing it for a long time," says fair board president Bob Rogish. "It's nice seeing the kids having a good time."

Lake County Fair board director Jackie Wilson has seen frogs leap distances of 7 feet when placed on a sawdust floor and given a nudge. Twenty years ago, she started the Lake County Fair frog-jumping contest, which invites 25 children, age 12 and younger, to bring a pet or pond-dweller to vie for the title. She says adults watching the action often have as much fun as the kids. "[It] makes you feel young," she says.