Southwest Georgia Regional Fair set to return

ALBANY — As area residents put away their jack-o’-lanterns, door skeletons, and other spooky decorations, it will be time to gear up for another fall tradition as the nearly weeklong Southwest Georgia Regional Fair kicks off the day after Halloween.

Now in its 70th year, what was traditionally known as the Exchange Club Fair, is one of the largest carnival/fairs that visits southern Georgia each year, drawing nearly 50,000 people from across the region.

“That’s why we changed the name to Southwest Georgia Regional Fair,” said Exchange Club of Albany member and fair director Skip Nichols. “We always have tremendous support from not only the local community, but the regional community as well. The fair’s for everyone.

“It’s a tradition for a lot of folks in the area to come to this fair and bring their families. I remember coming when I was a kid and remember bringing my kids. It’s a special week.”

Things officially get under way Tuesday when the gates open at 4 p.m. The fair will wind down Sunday at 8 p.m. The fair will run from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Visitors will once again be treated to the traditional midway of attractions provided by Strates Shows Inc., formerly the James E. Strates Shows, which has provided rides and attractions for the last six decades.

“This is our 60th year with the Strates Shows,” said Nichols, who has been the fair manager since 2001. “The Strates are a tremendous family to work with. That carnival has become a family of the Exchange Club. They really are like family to us.”

Nichols said fair patrons can expect to see many of the attractions they’ve grown to love over the years, as well as many of the same food vendors and entertainers that have helped make the fair such a lasting tradition.

This year, Nichols said, the Southwest Georgia Regional Fair is welcoming back a few popular entertainers who have built a strong reputation with local fans during years past, including Buffalo Barfield and Un-Herd of Entertainment and hypnotist Tammy Barton. Additionally, guests will get to enjoy the On The Edge 2-Wheel Action Shows, where performers execute daring bicycle and motorcycle tricks. Entertainers will perform multiple shows each evening throughout the fair’s run.

The fair will also feature Sam’s Path Mobile Petting Zoo and Live Nativities, and the ever-popular local livestock shows, which take place throughout the week in the fairground’s livestock pavilion. The swine show will take place Wednesday at 3 p.m., the goat show Thursday at 3 p.m., the lamb show Friday at 3 p.m. and the cattle show at noon on Saturday.

Free entertainment from local musicians will be held on the midway stage throughout the week.

On Saturday night, the fair will once again feature the always-popular Demolition Derby, which Nichols said has become increasingly popular during the last 21 years.

“We’re expecting a large turnout again this year,” he said. “A lot of interest has been stirred. It’s a neat show.”

Nichols said last year 37 cars participated in the derby, in both big-car and small-car categories.

“It was about half and half,” said Nichols. “We’ll run two heats of the small cars and then the finale and three heats of the big cars and one finale. The crews can’t work on the cars until all the heats are completed. They will have 30 minutes to ready for the finale.”

Nichols said a parade lap will begin at 7:30 p.m. Each participant will be introduced and will get to present their car in front of the crowd on a concrete slab. Once on the pad, the drivers are allowed to do burnouts and get the audience worked up.

“We had some folks smoke their tires so bad last year, they blew them out,” Nichols added. “They go crazy doing that. The audience loved it.”

As much fun as the fair and the derby are, the main focus of the week is the Exchange Club’s commitment to raising money for those in need.

“Because of this, we’re able to give money back to the community to help these organizations that would not be able to exist without help, and to give to our national mission of child abuse prevention,” Nichols said. “That’s what the fair is all about.”

Advance tickets to the fair are currently on sale and can be purchased at Walgreens, Homerun Foods or through the exchangeclubfair.org website. General admission tickets at the gate for adults and kids more than 42 inches tall are $8 and $4 for kids under 42 inches. Babies in strollers are admitted free. Admission for seniors age 55 and older is $5. Tickets purchased at Walgreens or Homerun Foods will receive a discount of $2 on adult tickets and $1 on tickets for children.

Megapass tickets, which include admission and a bracelet for unlimited rides on most attractions, are good on any day of the fair and can also be purchased for $18 at advance locations.

Discount ticket options are available for Wednesday and Thursday nights, known traditionally as McDonald’s nights. Patrons can pick up coupons at all McDonald’s locations that can then be presented at the gate toward the purchase of a $16 unlimited ride bracelet. Without the coupons, unlimited ride bracelets are $20.

Saturday will feature unlimited ride bracelets for $14 for children under 42 inches. Those bracelets can be bought that day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and used from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gate admission is also free that day for active and retired military personnel and their families with ID. Gate admission is free for everyone that day between 11 a.m. and noon.

Sunday gate admission and unlimited ride bracelets can be purchased for $20, and gate admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children with the presentation of that day’s church bulletin from any local church.

The Exchange Club of Albany Fairgrounds are located at the corner of Westover Boulevard and Oakridge Drive. For more information about the Southwest Georgia Regional Fair visit exchangeclubfair.org or call (229) 436-8827.