Barnstable County Fair returns July 17-23, with motocross, music, rides, gaes and food!

It’s that time of the year, the Barnstable County Fair is back.

From July 17-23, you will be able to smell the fried dough and hear the laughter as thousands fill the Barnstable County Fairgrounds on Route 151 in East Falmouth. A week filled with food, midway rides, contests, live performances, crafting, gardening, photography, and much more.

The demolition derby has long caught the attention of thrill-seeking fairgoers. It is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 19 and is billed as "the world's largest demolition derby."

This year the adrenaline will be at an all-time high with the added new performance by Flatout Freestyle, a nearly two-hour long, non-stop moto-stunt show with professional athletes featuring BMX, minibike, and freestyle stunts.

Flatout Freestyle is based out of Chicago. Owner, operator, and performer Jason Rowe grew up racing motocross. This year marks his 23rd as a professional FMX rider, working just about year-round to prepare for events like this.

As for the toughest trick?

“All the tricks are difficult, but the backflip is probably one of the tougher ones because it’s a full commitment trick, you either do it or you don’t," he said.

With professionals streaming from all over the world, a grandstand show like this will have anywhere from 12-15 athletes.  Flatout Freesyle is on the schedule for opening day, July 17.

“We just want to offer a high-level entertainment experience in the extreme action sports world with a fun, family-friendly show,” Rowe said.

Fair offers acts from musicians to high-dive artists

In other fair events, your heart may skip a beat when the Flying Fools take the high-dive. Or watch a hula hoop be used in a way you have never seen before with Liz the Hopping Wonder’s Cirque De Light performance. If you believe in magic, bring the whole family along for Robert Clarke's interactive comedy magic show.

Musical acts on the main stage include some familiar names: Boomtown Saints on July 18, Foghat is on July 20; sing and dance to the well-hummed sounds of Abba on July 21; see Runaway Jue on July 22 and Alex Shillo's tribute to Bruce Springsteen on closing day. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. except the tribute to "The Boss" which is at 6 p.m.

After 170 years, livestock is still at heart of fair

The livestock shows are a staple at the Barnstable County Fair in which both youth and adults participate.

Karen Schwalbe, livestock coordinator, said the show not only has a “long history in American agriculture,” but is a vital part of the fair.

“The livestock portion of the fair it's one of the formative reasons there is a County Fair,” she said.

The fitting and showmanship participants are judged by what the participant knows about the animal, how they prepare it for the show, and how they handle it. Adults and youths get to learn valuable skills from each other, she said, including caring for the animal, and handling herds of animals.

The breed shows judge animals based on how well they meet the breed standards.

“These shows were historically how you found good genetics to improve your herd, and so that's where the competition comes from," Schwalbe said. "This animal has a beautiful udder and that capacity is something you want to breed into your own animals. Somebody who’s qualified in judging will be able to tell the best animal and those animals sell better and improve the dairy herd overall and that's been going on for hundreds of years."

The Barnstable County Fair has been a fixture since 1844, when it was held in October at the Barnstable County Courthouse. The focus was on livestock.

Livestock can pay off for those who raise animals

Like adults, youth can also travel around the country to compete in these shows. Young competitors and their animals earn points.

“We have what's called the state beef team and those kids who show those animals compete inside the state and then the best of them go into regional competition and the best of those go across the country to participate and that happens with almost all types of animals," Schwalbe said. "The ones we work with in Barnstable are beef and dairy, sheep breeds, and goats."

When these animals are prize-winning, people can pay hundreds of dollars, if not more, for artificial insemination.

Miriam May was a member of the Massachusetts State Beef and Livestock Judging Team for six years. May currently volunteers, sharing the skills she learned that helped prepare her to be vice-president of the Northeast Highland Cattle Association, a nonprofit geared to support heritage breed cattle genetic preservation and education.

"The 4H Livestock Judging Program taught me public speaking, attention to vocabulary, offered incredible team-centric mentors and role models, honed financial budgeting skills on yearly projects, demanded project management planning and decision making," May said.

May offers advice for youth just starting out.

"Do not expect to be perfect your first try. Harbor a love for learning. Raising cattle is like a never-ending book of short stories that you can’t put down, you finish a chapter about hay quality that leads to another on soil quality, then that the type of soil cattle hooves walk on affect their hoof trimming schedule. If you embrace each lesson as a fun learning experience, your brain will never be bored and your hands will always be busy"

Guests can have a hands-on experience, watch baby chick hatch

There is a separate petting zoo next to the livestock. . You can put a quarter in a gumball machine and receive food to feed the animals with your hands or you can hold a baby chick. There is also an interactive show ring where you could get the chance to pet animals.

“We also have an observation incubator where you can watch a baby chick hatch, so we started that a couple of weeks ago, and through the course of the week the chicks will actually hatch, and you can watch it happen right in front of your eyes," Schwalbe said.

Due to an ongoing problem in the country with avian influenza (bird flu), the fair has taken extreme precautions to ensure the health of all guests.

“What we do is we work with one particular farm who has a large variety of different types of birds, and she brings all of her birds there so you can see all different types of chickens, so in the in the heyday when before we had to deal with issues of biosecurity and dozens of people would bring their animals," Schwalbe said.

All fairground shows are free with admission. Midway rides require tickets or a bracelet.

Barnstable Fair Facts

When: July 17-23

Hours: 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday noon until 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday. noon until 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Parking: Parking is available in grass lots surrounding the fairgrounds, but expect to walk.

Weather: The fair goes on rain or shine, so wear proper clothing and have fun

Food: The are more than three dozen stands offering old favorites (fried Oreos and lemonade, anyone?) and new things to try. Last year it was lamb.

Admission: adults are $15, (65+) and military with valid ID $12, ages 6-11 with paid adult tickets $5, Children under 5 with a paid adult ticket are free, and three-day multi-pass are $36.

Midway Ticket Prices: 1 Ticket, $1.50, 25 tickets $25, and 40 tickets $35.

Unlimited Ride Wristband: $40. Available only 4-9 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Barnstable County Fair is July 17-23 with tribute to Springsteen, more