MOUNT VERNON – The Knox County Fair will return to Mount Vernon on Sunday, bringing with it live entertainment and the county’s finest show animals.

The fairgrounds will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday, July 22 through Saturday, July 28. Tickets will be available at the gate and there will be a mobile ATM near the middle of the parking lot this year, fair director Brian Durbin said. This will allow people to withdraw money before paying at the gate, which he said will be a welcomed convenience.

The Friday night concert is back at the fair this year, as local talent Olivia Knight will take the stage before Mustang Sally comes on for the nightcap. Mustang Sally will perform an array of country hits, having shared stages with Montgomery Gentry, Blake Shelton, Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich before.

“We brought entertainment back,” Durbin said excitedly. “They’re not as big of a band as we’ve had in the past but hopefully people like them. They’ve got a following.”

Past entertainers at the fair have included Kellie Pickler, Thompson Square, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and the Oak Ridge Boys.

The animal exhibits, Junior Fair and 4-H activities, rides and Ag Museum will all return to the fair this year.

The weather could potentially prove to be an obstacle, as thunderstorms are forecasted for Sunday and the beginning of next week. Durbin stayed optimistic, believing the rain will cool things off for the animals, which will be a positive. He also emphasized that after 12 months of preparation, the weather is, unfortunately, out of their control.

“The weather changes every day it seems. On our bigger gate nights, obviously attendance helps us raise more money. I know they’re calling for (rain), we hope it doesn’t happen,” Durbin said. “But the good thing is the temperatures are down, which means there will be less stress on animals. It’s bad but it’s good. Good for the junior fair, bad for the senior fair.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. It is what it is, we’re going to keep the wheels in motion for whatever mother nature decides.”

Last year, Durbin said that Sunday’s attendance was cut in half due to bad weather.

For Durbin and the fair’s team of directors, next week represents the culmination of a year’s work.

“This is where 12 months of planning finally comes together and we get to see the fruits of our labor. A lot goes on behind the scenes that people don’t see,” said Durbin, in his fourth year as a fair director.

“We have some new faces, seven directors are new this year. So if things don’t turnout well, it wasn’t because of a lack of effort on the board’s part. I don’t think anybody realizes the hours and hours that go into putting on the fair. I want to make sure there’s a fair there for my kids that there was for me.”

Admission will be $7, $3 for seniors until 5 p.m. Kids under 10 years old get in for free. Veterans will get in for free on Thursday until 5 p.m.

Here are some of the highlights of this year’s schedule:

Sunday:

  • Worship service (8 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Equine Show (8 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair King and Queen judging (11 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Rabbit Show (12 p.m.)
  • 26th annual Little Miss Knox County (2 p.m.)
  • Opening Ceremonies (3 p.m.)
  • Pen of Three Market Lamb judging, followed by Junior Fair Sheep Showmanship, followed by Market Lamb Show (3 p.m.)
  • NTPA Pull (five classes), followed by Buckeye Power Production (four classes) (6 p.m.)
  • Junior Fair Swine Showmanship (7 p.m.)

Monday:

  • Junior Fair Equine Show (8 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Dairy Showmanship & Show, followed by Dairy Market Feeder Showmanship (9 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Market Poultry Show (9:30 a.m.)
  • 4-H vegetable judging (10 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Market Goats Show (1 p.m.)
  • Harness Racing (6 p.m.)
  • Junior Fair Swine Show (6 p.m.)

Tuesday:

  • Junior Fair Dairy Goat and Pygmy Goat Showmanship followed by Goat Master Showmanship competition (9 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Poultry Showmanship & Production show (9:30 a.m.)
  • 4-H booth judging (10 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Dairy Market Feeder Show with Market Dairy Steer Show immediately following (11 a.m.)
  • Harness racing (12 p.m.)
  • KOI dirt drag racing (6 p.m.)
  • Motocross racing (6 p.m.)
  • Junior Fair Beef Show followed by Market Beef Show (7 p.m.)

Wednesday:

  • Junior Fair Beef & Market Dairy Steer Showmanship, followed by Beef Breeding Show (9 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Rabbit Showmanship (9 a.m.)
  • Showman of Showmen (2:30 p.m.)
  • Junior Fair Dog Show (5 p.m.)
  • Rough Truck & Side by Side racing (7 p.m.)

Thursday:

  • Sale announcements and special awards (9 a.m.)
  • Sale of champions (9:30 a.m.)
  • Order of sale in multipurpose arena: market lambs, turkeys, broilers, fryers, market dairy steers, beef feeders, market beef, dairy market feeder (12 p.m.)
  • Order of sale in swine area: market goats, market hogs (12 p.m.)
  • Antique Tractor Parade (4 p.m.)
  • Junior Fair Equine Mini-Horse Show (6 p.m.)
  • Demolition derby, Figure 8 truck and car races (7 p.m.)
  • Antique tractor pull (7 p.m.)

Friday:

  • Open beef show (11 a.m.)
  • Concert night: opening artist, Olivia Knight, followed by main artist, Mustang Sally (6 p.m.)

Saturday:

  • Youth fishing & archery sports (9 a.m.)
  • Junior Fair Llama Show (10 a.m.)
  • Terminal market hog show (1 p.m.)
  • O.S.T.P.A. Truck/Tractor Pull (6 p.m.)

To view the full schedule of events, click here.