All over the Coos County Fairgrounds this weekend, Coos County residents worked on booths, set up food stands, commercial and 4-H exhibits or submitted entries for open class judging. The fair opens Tuesday and runs through Saturday.-World Photo by Susan Chambers

It’s a community celebration with old-fashioned fun, but with plenty for the youngsters, too.

“Our goal is having something for everybody,” Coos County Fair Manager Cindy Bedingfield said. “They can enjoy everyone else’s interests too, but at least we have something to bring them here.”

This year, the 2008 Coos County Fair, which opens Tuesday and runs through Saturday, is offering a venue communities in the county can show off their best. The 40-foot-by-40-foot community tent will be the stage for “community days” in which each community will be able to put on demonstrations or provide entertainment on one day during fair week.

Community days won’t be the only feature under a big top. With the former event area gone, many of the animal exhibits will be under tents as well. Putting up the colorful tents was quite the project for fair workers last week, but Bedingfield hopes they will add to the fairgrounds’ old-fashioned atmosphere.  

Don’t worry, there is plenty for the kids, too, including a 90-foot tall Ferris wheel and a new ride called the Viper.

People will be able to get up close to stingrays, horseshoe crabs and other aquatic life in a new stringray exhibit. Returning favorites will include: a reptile exhibit and a chance to learn how and where to pan for gold.

The fair aims to combine tradition with innovation, bringing all generations together.

“It’s really all about celebration and community,” Bedingfield said.

Fair info