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Alabama National Fair - The Best Days of Fall Expanded
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Dubbed the 10 Best Days of Fall, the Alabama National Fair added a day for a total of 11 best days this year. Held in Montgomery, Alabama, the event ran from October 4 through 14, including the Monday Columbus Day holiday. According to the fair's general manager Randy Stephenson, the holiday was the reason for the additional day.

Stephenson said the event's success is always “weather driven,” and this year, sunshine cooperated, and drew in crowds. He termed the event a “great success…one that has something for everybody.”

With enhanced security precautions, such as requiring adult accompaniment to the fair for minors, Stephenson notes that “everything was good, everyone did a great job,” and there were no incidents of any kind this year. Anyone arriving at the fair under age 18 were required to have an adult 21 and up with them for entrance.

The fair also enforced a clear bag policy, to be certain that prohibited items such as alcohol and any weapons were not brought into the fairgrounds. Along with private security and the Montgomery Police Department, Sheriff's Office, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on site, there was also an eye from the sky in the form of drones and helicopter surveillance to keep things doubly secure.

Stephenson noted that this is the 71st year for the fair, which has donated $10 million dollars to charity over the years. While final figures are not yet in, he predicts that “We are going to be giving a lot of money to charity come spring…it's been a great year.” The fair is the main fundraiser of the Montgomery Kiwanis Club. However, no final attendance figures were provided as of press time.

The fair increased its number of carnival rides this year to 50. The midway operator was Wade Shows.  To determine what rides were right for their own children, parents could enter their child's height on the Wade Shows website.



The carnival offered a special event for kids with sensory needs: on both Sensory Friendly Sundays, from 1-3 p.m., loud music, announcements, and flashing lights were eliminated from kiddie land and other carnival rides. Throughout the fair, noise and intense lights were reduced as much as possible, including during performances.

Along with providing more fun rides this year, there were plenty of tasty food treats to try both at the fair and during a pre-fair event, Taste of the Fair, which allowed early access to try some samples of the fair foods from 5-8 p.m. the Thursday prior to the fair's opening. Tickets for that event were $30 and included a pass to the fair itself. Among the foods on offer were nachos, Polish sausages, funnel cakes, fried Oreos, corn dogs, lemonade, and cotton candy – all the classic fair foods. Proceeds from the pre-fair tasting event were directed at the Miracle League of Montgomery. There were plenty of more unique food choices at the fair too, including cornbread, macaroni, cheese curds, massive turkey legs, cheese fries with jalapeno, and hamburger steak. Long time vendor Charlies came up with a brand-new caramel apple danish.

Funnel cakes were voted best food at the fair this year in the annual Alabama National Fair Food Fight Challenge, in which sixteen foods were entered for judging this year including elephant ears, corn dogs, roasted corn, chicken on a stick, and a Philly cheese steak.

Regular fair admission was priced at $20 for adults, but there were special admission discounts to the fair, including College Night on Oct. 10, when fair admission was just $10 admission if attendees donned college apparel; Senior and Pet Food specials on Oct. 11 meant $7 admission for ages 55 and up from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or $10 admission all day with a donation of dog or cat food. And on School Day, a school holiday for kids Oct. 14, it was $10 admission for everyone. October 4th was $1 day: fairgoers who brought one non-perishable food item received admission for just $1.

Ride wristbands ranged between $35 and $40 depending upon day; however, on the fair's final day October 14, wristbands were priced at just $20. Guests could buy ticket packs for the carnival onsite or make an advance purchase for ride wristbands; gate admission for the fair itself could be purchased onsite or online. Active military, veterans and first responders were given free entrance to the fair with ID.

The Garrett Coliseum concert stage offered free musical acts to fairgoers. These included Dru Hill, Steel CuZ'n Band, and national country star Dylan Scott, whose concert was held on the event's College Night, which meant both fair and the concert were accessible for just $10.

Also free were grounds events such as the nationally touring Zerbini Faimly Circus, featuring acrobatic and trapeze performers as well as clowns and jugglers.



The Fearless Flores Thrill Show, a traveling act with motorcycle stunt thrillers such as the Globe of Death; the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs; and the wild Tiger Encounter were also part of the free entertainment mix. Stephenson noted that the Tiger Encounter included a white lion. The show itself was conducted by the only performing female tiger trainer in the U.S.

Kids and families could also enjoy the interactive agricultural Cowtown USA, an exhibit that allowed attendees to milk cows and goats and work with oxen. There were plenty of animals to enjoy at the fair this year, including Grandpa's Farm experiences that gave fairgoers the chance to interact with ducks and chickens, rabbits, chicks in their incubators, pigs, and cows. Antique farm equipment and other educational agricultural displays were also plentiful; Alabama 4H chapters showed their livestock as well.



Also fun for the kids: The Puppetone Rockers, ten-foot dancing puppets with some catchy melodies to share. Adults were possibly more interested in making a grab at the cash generated by The Money Machine, which allowed participants the chance to literally grab some cash.

Competitive exhibits and events were another popular entertainment option from art to flowers, robotics, photography, quilting, and of course livestock. Live, onsite cooking contests were a draw for fairgoers, too.

The fair began in 1954 and has always served as the fundraiser for the Montgomery Kiwanis Club, donating proceeds to local charities and projects, generating up to $300,000 annually in recent years. The Fair is independent and self-sustaining and is not a part of the State of Alabama.

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