CLICK BELOW TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH VICKIE MICHEAU, UP STATE FAIR
The U.P. State Fair is back and excited to offer Blue Ribbon Fun in 2021! There is a lot of excitement around this year’s fair, and with the cooperation of Mother Nature, attendance is expected to break all previous numbers once again.
As soon as fair goers pass through the gates, they will find amazing food, great concerts, wheeled events, spectacular carnival rides by Skerbeck Entertainment Group, winning livestock and artistic exhibits, an antique village, exotic animals from around the world at the Whispering Pines Mobile Zoo and so much more. There is always something for everyone!
The free midway entertainment this year includes the Mystic Bubble Show, which combines music, beauty, and mystical bubbles for an unforgettable experience. The ZuZu African Acrobats high energy show has been said to be one of the best live acrobatic shows in the world. Witness spectacularly choreographed routines involving fast pyramid building, limbo contortion, bottle balancing, chair stacking, and hand balancing. Those Funny Little People, sponsored by Embers Credit Union, offers a unique mix of costumed characters and puppetry that perform a stage show featuring music, dance, comedy, and hilarious audience interaction. Back again this year is cheese carver Sarah Kaufmann as well as the Miracle of Life exhibitions and Growing UP Foresters that takes fairgoers through a walk in the woods. The shops in the Steam and Gas Engine Village are anxious to once again welcome guests; and don’t miss this year’s new attraction in the DNR Pocket Park; the Smokey the Bear Hot Air Balloon.
Grandstand shows, presented by the Island Resort and Casino, will entertain beginning Tuesday night with Escanaba native singer and songwriter Helen DeBaker-Vorce. The Ultimate 80s hair band experience, Hairball, takes the stage on Wednesday. Then Heart to Heartbreaker and Crazy Babies – Ozzie Rebourne on Tribute Thursday will rock the grandstand. Josh Turner, country and gospel singer, will perform on Friday. Musical entertainment in the grandstand wraps up on Saturday with the California rock band, Buckcherry. The Northeast Ohio Dukes Stunt Show on Sunday afternoon, followed by UPIR Racing and Fireworks, sponsored by Skerbeck Entertainment Group, will close out an unforgettable fair week.
Honored Citizens Day, which features the annual Veteran of the Year Award Ceremony, Lunch with Governor Gretchen Whitmer sponsored by Chamber of Commerce members, and the Native American Celebration, is set for Thursday.
The Antique Car Show and Jr. Market Livestock Auction will be on Saturday. The week will end with scout activities in the big tent. New this year is Meijer Day on Sunday. Meijer’s sponsorship honors first responders, healthcare, and grocery store workers with a 10% gate discount with a company-issued name badge.
Check out the website, UPStatefair.org, for updates, judging schedules, and other information about the U.P. State Fair ~ Blue Ribbon Fun in 2021!
Here’s a glimpse of what to expect on the Midway at Michigan’s only State Fair.
Preforming in over 25 different countries and receiving a yes from every judge during their America’s Got Talent audition in 2011, The ZuZu African Acrobats high energy show will return to the midway. Guests will be in awe as they blend fast-paced dance with acrobatic skills that many have acclaimed as one of the best live acrobatic shows in the world.
An annual fair tradition for many eager fairgoers includes a trip over to the Antique Steam & Gas Village. This old-time village is sure to be bustling with its displays of historic equipment, old-time shops, operating sawmill, and museum open to the public.
A familiar face of the forest can be seen floating above the midway this year as the Michigan DNR will be hosting the Smokey the Bear Hot Air Balloon. The balloon will be near the DNR Pocket Park Thursday morning, Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon. Youngsters are encouraged to cast a line or shoot for a bullseye while visiting the 1-acre Pocket Park that is a tribute to Michigan’s outdoor experience.
Joining the list of midway entertainment this year is another act that made its television debut on America’s Got Talent. “Those Funny Little People,” sponsored by Ember’s Credit Union, is an unforgettable mix of costumed characters that perform with music to make for an equally entertaining and funny show.
Don’t miss “The Mystical Bubble Show,” which takes a little soap and water to new heights with their human-sized bubbles and smoke bubbles that are sure to please any crowd. The Whispering Pines Animal Kingdom will also return to the U.P. State Fair with its band of critters from across the world like the Macaque Monkey and the Argentine Tegu.
The return of the Educational Pavilion Sponsored by Michigan Farm Bureau and Greenstone Farm Credit Services is sure to be a hit as it is every year. While there, fairgoers have the rare opportunity to witness the live birth of an array of livestock at The Miracle of Life Exhibit. Another Exhibit at the pavilion is the “Growing Up Foresters,” which creates a deeper meaning of our forests and how its products benefit our everyday lives. Lastly, visitors to the pavilion won’t want to miss unbelievable cheese creations in the making by Cheese Carver Sarah Kaufmann.
The Skerbeck Entertainment Group will bring back the thrills and excitement to the midway with their wide array of rides starting Monday at 5 pm. There’s no better view of everybody’s favorite fairgrounds flooded with the best fair food than from the top of the Ferris Wheel.
All midway entertainment at the U.P. State Fair is free apart from the rides, with general fair admission. To dive right into the fun upon arrival to the fair, tickets can be purchased online at upstatefair.net.
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