The 52nd annual Tyler County Fair will kick off with the usual ceremony and pageantry Monday night.

The Tyler Consolidated High School Marching Band will perform at 5 p.m., followed by opening ceremonies at 5:15 p.m. All of the royalty pageants will begin on the main stage at 6 p.m., followed by karaoke after its conclusion. The other Monday night event is the ATV four-wheeler drag racing at 7 p.m.

Tuesday is Youth Day with children admitted free until noon. In the morning are bicycle races and other kids games. There will be a carnival matinee from 1-4 p.m. and of course the usual evening carnival rides, 6-10:30 p.m. That evening sees racing, poultry and rabbit judging, sheep show, and the 33rd annual Country Showdown.

Wednesday is Ladies Day with ladies admitted free until noon. Various Ladies Day activities get underway at 11 a.m. Again racing will take place and the barn will host a feeder calf show and market steer show. The New Silver Eagle Band will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. followed by 7 Bridges, an Eagles tribute band, at 8:30 p.m.

Thursday is Senior Citizens’ Day with seniors 60 and older admitted free until 2 p.m. The senior program will begin at noon, followed by the Belle Pageant at 1 p.m. The demolition derby will be sure to thrill at 7:30 p.m. Colton Pack will perform at 9 p.m., preceded by Tom and Carol Wriston at 7:30 p.m.

Friday’s headline comes from the stage entertainment-Marshall Tucker Band at 9 p.m., with Plan B opening at 7:30 p.m. Rising to stardom in the 1970s, The Marshall Tucker Band has had hit singles like “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway.”

Truck and tractor pulls held that night, at 7 p.m., are always very popular.

Friday is also known as Mountaineer Day with activities such as hog calling, liar, nail driving, hay bale throwing, and corn hole contests beginning at 11 a.m.

A variety of power sport activities will take place Saturday such as truck driver’s rodeo, 8 a.m., and mud bog, 10 a.m. There is also a car, truck, and tractor show at 10 a.m.

The highlight will no doubt be Eric Paslay’s concert on the stage at 9 p.m., capped by fireworks.

Paslay may not be a household name (yet), but his song “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” made famous by Jake Owen is familiar to many. He also wrote “As Deep As It Is Wide” that can be found on Amy Grant’s latest project. Other songs by him have been recorded by Lady Antebellum, Eli Young Band, Love & Theft, and Rascal Flatts. Though appreciative of the songs that others have recorded, Paslay will be the first to admit he didn’t move to Nashville to be a songwriter, but to be an artist. Now he is getting that opportunity.

Nick Strums will open for Paslay at 7:30 p.m.

For a full fair schedule, see the advertisement on page 10.

Every day at the Tyler County Fair will offer carnival rides with Swank’s Steel City Shows, arts and crafts, Bingo, flea markets, 4-H exhibits, and karaoke, as well as horticulture, livestock, and photography exhibits. Of particular note, there will not be any pigs or hogs displayed this year because of the possibility of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus.

Season memberships are available for $30 per person. Season memberships must be purchased before midnight on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Children under the age of three will be admitted free, but must purchase a daily pass to ride carnival rides.

Daily prices of admittance are: $7, Monday through Thursday; and $8, Friday and Saturday. Admission price includes carnival rides but does not include fun house.

Camping is available at the fairgrounds for $50 for the week of the fair.

The gates will open daily at 8 a.m. beginning Aug. 4.

For more information contact the fair office at 304-758-4932 or 304-758-2349; fair information, 304-758-2227 or visit them online at www.tylercountyfair.org.[TABULATED_DATA]