Foxworthy headlining fair

If you’re coming to the Jay County Fair … you might see Jeff Foxworthy.
The comedian will be the featured entertainment for the fair this year, performing July 14. A musical performance will serve as his opening act for the Thursday evening event, though the performer has not yet been finalized.
“He’s just such a well known act across the whole board,” said Jay County Fair Board president Rob Weaver. “In surveying the youth, they seemed to respond well. … He seems to have a broad attraction from all age groups.”
Foxworthy, who is known for his “… you might be a redneck” jokes, joined fellow comedians Ron White, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, which ran for six years. He is also the host of the television shows “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” and “American Bible Challenge.”
The featured entertainment has traditionally been a country music artist, but Weaver noted that it is becoming more difficult to find acts to come to Jay County. Most venues now require a 100-mile buffer, which means that if an artist performs in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Dayton, Ohio, or Country Concert in Fort Loramie, Ohio, they can not come to the fair.
“We made an attempt to find a country music concert, but just couldn’t locate anyone that we were pleased with that was available,” said Weaver. “It’s just becoming more and more difficult to find the kind of entertainment our fair audience has come to expect.”
Another newcomer to the fair will take the stage July 13 (Wednesday) as the fair board is teaming with Jay County Music Foundation to bring in 7 Bridges, an Eagles tribute band.
Tickets for the Foxworthy show will be $55 for track seats and $35 for grandstand seats.
Prices for 7 Bridges will be $15 for the VIP section, $10 for track seats and $6 for the grandstand. They will go on sale in early April.
The 2016 fair, which runs July 11 through 16 (the 4-H fair will begin July 9), will also feature a new ride company and a change to its Tuesday entertainment schedule.
Maple Leaf Amusements of Michigan will be the new company handling the midway attractions.
There will be no midway, and no admission charge at the gate, on the Monday of the fair. Those attractions will open at 1 p.m. Tuesday (July 12) with a ride-a-thon.
The Tuesday-night entertainment will change as well, with 3 Bar J Rodeo replacing the figure 8 race and straw races.
“It just wasn’t well attended. So we’re going to move the Figure 8 to be with the demolition derbies (Friday and Saturday),” said Weaver, noting that 3 Bar J is operated by Jay County native Mike Johnson. “So we were just looking for something else that we felt would attract a lot of people.”
The fair board felt a rodeo would fit that bill.
The popular hog wrestling event will be back for the third consecutive year on Monday (July 11).
Other changes include the addition of pony rides for children and the shift of harness races to 10 a.m. Saturday (July 16).