News File Photo Kaylee Szymanski whizzes by on the Paratrooper at the 2024 Alpena County Fair.

ALPENA — This year’s Alpena County Fair is in full swing.

Like past years, the annual bump and run, tractor pull, and rodeo will likely draw large crowds, but new entertainment has also been added, which could lure even more people to the fairgrounds in Alpena. The fair runs through Sunday.

The first-ever Demolition Derby and Car Soccer, will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Demolition Derby Soccer is a unique blend of soccer and demolition derby, where players engage in a fast-paced game where soccer balls are tossed back and forth between cars.

Although the event isn’t new, there is a new company, Twisted P Rodeo, bringing its rodeo stars to the fair at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday for the annual rodeo.

Two bump and runs are slated, one at 7 p.m. on Friday, and another at 2 p.m. on Sunday, just before this year’s fair wraps up.

The popular tractor pulls will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16, with local tractors competing at 2 p.m. and the tractor pull circuit leaders showing off their tractors’ muscles at 7 p.m.

Alpena County Fair Board President Courtney Tauriainen said adding new events is a good way to keep the fair fresh, but keeping the successful ones that are popular is also critical to the fair’s success. She said it seems people are excited about the new events and that if they go over well, they could become mainstays at the fair in the future.

“It is very important that we add new events to keep things fresh and because people’s tastes always change, too,” Tauriainen said. “If we keep having the same things over and over, things can become stale and maybe people will have less of an interest to come back.”

The 4-H portion of the fair begins on Saturday, when the livestock begins to arrive and the animals begin to be weighed. Over the weekend, the 4-H events, demonstrations, and animal showings will continue.

The action picks up on Tuesday, as the midway opens and the events stack up.

Tauriainen said the schedule is jam-packed with things for people of all ages to do, from walking through the barns, to going on a ride or playing a carnival game, to attending the shows, and more.

Tauriainen said the fair is a time where families come together to enjoy some time out and have some fun before the new school year begins and summer reaches its end.

“The fair is the largest family event each summer,” she said. “It’s just before school starts and is sort of a last hoorah before life begins to get a little more crazy.”

She added that “we always try to make it as appealing for everyone as we can.”

To get into the fair, there is a $5 per person daily charge, or, a weeklong pass is available for $25. Children 3 years old and younger can get into the fair for free.

Tuesday is Senior Day, and those 60 and older get into the gate for free. Military Appreciation Day is Saturday, with free gate admission with military ID.

There may be additional entry fees for some of the events in the grandstand area. For more information on event costs and a full schedule for the fair, visit the Alpena County Fair website at www.alpenafair.org.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.