Family days and date nights to remember

Bring family and friends to the 102nd annual Yorktown Grange Fair for "Goats, Games and Good Times!" Sept. 11-13.

There’s always something special happening at Westchester’s only traditional country fair and plenty for everyone to enjoy, from morning until night. Bring along the whole crew during the day and head over after the sun goes down for a date night or evening with friends.

Admission is $15 per carload.

Daytime fun begins with concerts for all ages. Kids will love singing and dancing with Kurt Gallagher’s Songs for Playful Children (Saturday at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.) and learning about the world with Annie and the Natural Wonder Band (Sunday at 11 a.m.). Prepare to be thrilled by Wacky Chad (Saturday at 2 and 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1:15, 2:45 and 6:15 p.m.). The family will love his interactive stunt show, with towering unicycles, skateboard tricks and incredible juggling.

Clowning around the fairgrounds with his sky-high stilts and magic tricks will be everyone’s favorite Big Apple Circus alum, Adam Auslander. New to the Fair is an adventurous mechanical bull ride, kicking off with a show featuring “Jimbo” (starting Saturday at 2:15 p.m.). And don’t miss the Crawford Duck Derby (Sunday at 1 p.m.), where you can cheer for your favorite duck to win the race.

This century-old country fair never disappoints when it comes to traditional fair fare. There are horse riding demonstrations (Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.), as well as a livestock show and lots of different animals to see up close. Meet the Fair mascot, Belle the goat, and all her friends.

Take in the blue ribbon contests and educational exhibits on display, and check out the artisan vendors. Fun for everyone are the various audience-participation contests from watermelon eating and rubber chicken throwing to pie eating and bubble gum blowing.

The fan-favorite mile-long tractor parade (Saturday at noon) is back, along with hayrides, and the Midway is full of games and thrilling rides. With reasonably priced tickets and all-access wristbands, it’s sure to delight the family all day long. Go device-free for the day and enjoy old-school fun.

As evening approaches, the Fair is the place to be. There’s plenty of live music adults will love on the main stage, delicious food and craft beer from local vendors to enjoy, with the Midway rides as a colorful backdrop for an amazing evening under the stars. Catch rock and pop favorites on Friday night with the Mike Risko Band (Friday at 7:30 p.m.). Saturday kicks off with line dancing at 3 p.m., and country band Whiskey’s Edge (Saturday at 3:30 p.m.). Rock out with the headliner band Alex Nikki and Jokerz Wild (Saturday at 8 p.m.). Sunday brings back local favorite No Options for rock ’n’ roll that will get you dancing (Sunday at 4 p.m.)—bring a date, bring friends. The Yorktown Grange Fair offers a whole slate of live music concerts, with no separate tickets needed.

Keep the summer sizzling with a weekend of fun-filled, memorable experiences, day and night, for everyone to enjoy. The Yorktown Grange Fair hours are Friday, Sept. 11, 4-11 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Sunday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from 10-11 a.m. are quiet hours to accommodate those with special needs.

Article courtesy of Yorktown Grange Fair