The Clark County fair kicks off this weekend for 10 days of nonstop excitement and entertainment.
The celebration is entering its 158th year of operation and is set to celebrate the 250th year anniversary of the country with a new featured exhibit.
The fair runs Aug. 7 through Aug. 16.
“This Mars Encounter is going to be an absolute family event,” said Clark County Event Center CEO John Morrison. “It’s got everything in there.”
The exhibit this year is meant to simulate what it would be like for humans to “live and thrive on a functioning human colony on the red planet.”
It is also set to have a full-scale recreation of the Destiny Mars rover.
Though the feature is new, the fair still retains familiarity with the other types of attractions it brings with concerts, monster trucks and farm animal showcases.
“If you come to the fair, you can get an elephant ear, and for the rest of the year, I doubt you’re ever out driving around saying, ‘I think I’ll swing by and pick up an elephant ear,’” Morrison said.
Special non-musical attractions are also discoverable around the grounds with the Pirate Parrot Show, Break-A-Boyz dancing and Curly the camel making appearances.
A parade will be held opening day to kick off the event, and starting at noon each day, over two dozen ride attractions will be open for thrill seekers.
“The constant theme here is this is a family-oriented event,” Morrison said. “When the newer acts come along that are more attuned to the youth of today, I make sure that I’m satisfying that requirement.”
Fair admissions options include several choices, including an online-only family bundle for two adults, two kids and two carnival wristbands.
According to Morrison, the price of attending the fair is more worth it when compared to watching a new movie in theaters.
“You don’t talk, then two hours later, they’re out the door and they’re home. Everyone went and saw a movie,” Morrison said. “Compare that to a day at the fair. If you ride the C-Tran you get in for free. You can spend the entire day as a family and you only have to pay for whatever you eat or ride. To have an opportunity to spend what I consider to be a great time together as a family, that’s the most satisfying thing to me.”
At the end of the day, that is the defining characteristic of the fair in a world that keeps heading increasingly more and more online.
“The fair is the culmination of a year of hard work by a lot of people, whether they’re building something to exhibit, whether they’re raising animals to show, whether they’re here to provide entertainment, the food, the experiences,” Morrison said. “They’re welcome to be out here all day long, and it’s an experience they will not find anywhere else in Clark County for the rest of the year.”
Learn more and plan your visit at clarkcofair.com.
