The Appalachian Fair has been entertaining people in our region for nearly 100 years. This year’s fair, which will run from Aug. 19-24, is shaping up to be another delightful event with plenty of food, entertainment and excitement for folks of all ages.
New this year is a Butterfly Encounter that is not only an interactive, walk-through exhibit – it also provides educational demonstrations. This wonderful exhibit allows visitors to “feed” and enjoy hundreds of butterflies, including six different species.
Visitors will get to see the lifecycle of a butterfly from the egg to the adult butterfly and learn how to fix a broken wing. The exhibit is located along Building 1 and will be open Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.
On the Midway, the Drew Exposition has been providing a wide selection of modern amusement rides at the Appalachian Fair for over 50 years. Drew is famous for providing state of the art thrill rides, honest games of skill, and extraordinary midway food.
From high-tech thrill rides like the Cyclops and ION to family rides like the Wave Swinger and the Tornado, the Drew Exposition has something for everyone. New at the Appalachian Fair this year is a thrilling and exciting ride, the Double-Double Ferris Wheel, or the Space Wheel, which provides riders with four complete Ferris wheels all in one ride. The ride is exhilarating and is the only one in the world.
Two other new rides to be introduced at the Appalachian Fair are the NYC Taxi amusement ride and the Barnyard kiddie ride.
The “New York Taxi City” better known as the “New York City Taxi” has 18 bumper cars. The Barnyard kiddie ride was manufactured in Italy. Riders will be taken straight up in the air where it twists and turns. Children squeal with excitement as they experience riding with the barnyard animals.
Drew Exposition is the only remaining traveling carnival of the 21st century to be operating a Huss Pirate and Enterprise; both multi trailer rides that were imported from Germany.
The Drew Exposition takes great pride in the condition of their equipment, both cosmetically and mechanically. They institute a strict safety policy including daily safety checks and routine ride inspections conducted by government officials.
For more information on this year’s fair, visit www.appalachianfair.com.
