GEORGETOWN – The home ec buildings have been hosed down by the fire department, volunteers are setting up the animal pens, tents are going up and the entertainment is scheduled. The 70th annual Georgetown Fair begins Saturday.

Eight full days of livestock shows, seven grandstand shows and loads of free entertainment await anyone willing to pay the $2 gate fee for adults and $1 for children, ages 6 through 12. It's even got free admission Saturday and Sunday.

"Once you're in the gate, you don't have to spend another dime, if you don't want to," said Paula Berlin, fair board secretary and a home economics building superintendent.

The fair prides itself on offering something for people of all ages and tastes, a lot of which is free. Take a stroll through the animal pens, home economic and commercial displays or take a seat for free entertainment in the food building almost every evening.

The Jon Leuhr's Spectacular Attractions will offer ride specials from 6 to 11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, the two for the price of one special is from 6 to close on Wednesday, Kiddie Day special from 1 to 5 p.m. and the Last Blast Ride-a-Thon from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Berlin said county fairs in general have been struggling.

Costs are going up, state reimbursement for premiums paid participants has been on the wane and now gas prices could affect ticket pricing and even whether people will drive to attend fairs. On top of that, the need for a renewable source of participants is in question.

"So many people really don't know about animals," Berlin said. "County fairs bring the country and the city people together."

A few years back Berlin and others in the exhibition buildings added programs to interest even younger participants. While entries are welcome from anyone eight or older, a Kids Korner for children younger than eight was added.

"They can win prize money and everyone gets a participation ribbon," Berlin said. "The number of participants has grown every year. If kids don't know about being involved in the fair, how are they going to see to it as something that needs to be saved?"

Berlin also has encouraged schools to tell students to enter their Young Authors papers as well as science and art projects from their school year.

"They are ready-made entries and get children excited about the public coming by to see what they have accomplished," Berlin said.

Fairs are a real community thing, she said.

"If we didn't have the community behind us, 24 board members couldn't do this alone," Berlin said. "The Lions, the Masons, the Ladies Community Club, the library want to be a part of this event."

The Georgetown Fair sticks with the traditional.

"We may have a different theme every year and vary the grandstand concert, but all the favorites are back each year – the gospel sing and community church service, the Golden Wedding Anniversary Day, the Kids' Day – are all things people look forward to," said Judy Greer, a board member.

When the country concert circuit became to pricey for the fair's customers, the board made the adjustment and now features classic groups. This year's show headlines the Van-Dells, with music from the '50s and '60s, comedy, choreography and costume changes. Opening for the group is Bigger Splash, who that won the 2007 fair senior division Talent Contest and went on to take eighth place in the state fair contest.

Georgetown Fair schedule

Saturday, Aug. 2

— 9 a.m. Western Horse Show.

— 12:30 p.m. FFA Market Hog Show.

— 2 p.m. Junior and Open Mixed Breed Barrow Show.

— 4 p.m. Boer Meat Goat Show.

— 6 p.m. WITY Barnyard Tractor Pull, grandstand, adults, $3; children, free.

Sunday, Aug. 3

— 9 a.m. Pygmy Goat Show.

— 10 a.m. Open Market Hog Breed Gilt Show.

— Noon to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 1 p.m. Open and Junior Rodeo Horse Show Gaming contest.

— 1 to 5 p.m. Gospel Sing, Cellular One tent.

— 1:30 p.m. Open Market Hog Breed Barrow Show.

— 6 p.m. Community Church Service, banquet and conference center.

— 7 p.m. Focus Service, grandstand.

Monday, Aug. 4

— 8 a.m. Section 18 FFA Show, Junior Beef Show, FFA Dairy and Beef Show.

— 9 a.m. Junior Swine Show.

— 4 to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 6 p.m. Open Steer Show.

— 6 to 11 p.m. Bracelet Night (armbands) at the carnival.

— 7 p.m. Queen Pageant and Outstanding Young Citizens Presentation; Queen Pageant, adults, $6; children, $3.

— 7 p.m. WITY Celebrity Bingo, free, food building.

Tuesday, Aug. 5

— 8 a.m. Open Beef and Swine Shows, Junior Sheep Show.

— 4 to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 6 to 11 p.m. Bracelet (armbands) at the carnival.

— 6 p.m. Open and Junior Breed Barrow Show.

— 7 to 10 p.m. Big Band Dance with Gene Trimble Band, free, food building.

— 7 p.m. Talent Contest, grandstand, adults, $3; children, $1.

Wednesday, Aug. 6

— 8 a.m. Open and Junior Dairy Shows, Open Sheep Show.

— 2 p.m. Golden Wedding Day, banquet and conference center.

— 3 to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 4:30 p.m. Finals of Showmanship Contest, trophy presentation, calf scramble, VanBuskirk Arena.

— 6 p.m. Buddy Night at the carnival, two ride for price of one with special sticker.

— 6:30 p.m. Tractor and Truck Pull, Tractor Pull, grandstand, adult, $7; children, $4.

— 7 p.m. KISS Country Karaoke with George Halls, free, food building.

Thursday, Aug. 7

— 2 p.m. Junior Livestock Auction, VanBuskirk Arena.

— 4 to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 6 p.m. Carnival open.

— 7 p.m. The Van-Dells with special guest "A Bigger Splash," grandstand, adults, $7; children, $7.

Friday, Aug. 8

— 1 p.m. Ponytail and Piggytail contest.

— 1:30 p.m. Pedal Tractor Pull.

— 1 to 5 p.m. Kiddie Day (armbands) at the carnival.

— 4 to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 5 p.m. Junior Dairy Goats (Dry Goats) Show.

— 5 p.m. Carnival opens with regular pricing.

— 6:30 p.m. Ping Pong Ball Prize Drop.

— 7 p.m. Motocross, grandstand, adult, $7; children, $4.

— 7 p.m. HWY 341 Band, free, food building.

Saturday, Aug. 9

— 8 a.m. American Dairy Goat Association Sanctioned Senior Dairy Goat Show (Milkers), VanBuskirk Arena.

—8 a.m. Registration for Pretty Baby contest.

— 9 a.m. Pretty Baby Contest.

— Noon to 10 p.m. Commercial buildings open.

— 1 to 5 p.m. Last Blast Ride-a-thon (armbands) at the carnival.

— 5 p.m. Carnival opens with regular pricing.

— 7 p.m. Demolition Derby, grandstand, adults, $10; children, $5.

— 7 p.m. Eric Calvert & Friends, free, food building.

If you go

— Take Illinois 1 to Georgetown, turn east on Mill Street, at the traffic light. Go north on Seminary Street to park on the north side of the fairgrounds or continue east on Mill Street to park on the east of the event.

—Parking is free.

— Admission: free Saturday and Sunday; adults, $2, children, 6 through 12, $1, Monday through Aug. 9. Gate season tickets are $10.