If you're looking for an ag-venturistic week, then don't miss the 1999 Great Frederick Fair as an ag-venture awaits everyone who attends the 137th annual event.

Exciting, new and innovative programs are in store for every fairgoer as this year's fair focuses on Ag-Venture...Exploring New Horizons in Agriculture, September 17-25.

"We have a new educational program that we believe students, families, youngsters and the typical fairgoer will enjoy doing with our Ag-Venture Passport Educational Program," said fair board President Maurice Gladhill. The fair will be distributing 25,000 copies of the Ag-Venture Passport Educational Programs which will feature 10 stations throughout the grounds. A map inside the passport assists fairgoers where to find the 10 stations. The passports have information to answer questions at each of the 10 stations, and stickers are included in the passport to paste on the correct corresponding page. At each station there will be a self-inking stamp that is to be used on the validation page of the passport to prove that the station was visited. Once the validation page is stamped from each of the 10 stations, the participant is to drop off that page, with the completed information, at the City Streets, Country Roads Exhibit by 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. A drawing of some special prizes will be conducted at 7 p.m. from the exhibit.

"This is really a neat program to get the public around the fairgrounds for them to see how agriculture touches their lives each and every day, and most people don't realize what a vital industry agriculture is," Mr. Gladhill continued.

"Out of all of this have developed and strengthened partnerships within the community between the fair, educators, business and industry," he said. "The public school system has embraced this program so much that the curriculum specialists have written pre and post lesson plans for fourth through sixth grade students in the public school system. We are so excited and pleased. The support that the fair has also received from the Schools-to-Careers Program, the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, the Board of Frederick County Commissioners, and our other sponsors...the University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Kiplinger Foundation and The Frederick News-Post is really quite impressive."

Mr. Gladhill said that the educational program really fits in well with the fair's purpose, and that is to expand agriculture education. "That is our thrust. That is our purpose."

"The passports are really sharp and they will really get the public's attention. We believe that young and old alike will take part in this program," he added. The passports will be distributed to students in the county's public schools fourth through sixth grades in September. Others wanting copies can get them during fair week from the fair's three Visitor's Centers; the City Streets, Country Roads Exhibit; and other prominent locations on the grounds. The program will also be featured on the fair's website as a hands-on activity.

Another new and innovative program being featured at the fair is the Ag Careers Fair. This is a one-day event with lots of educational and resource value. The Ag Careers Fair is a project of the Frederick County Ag Task Force, and will be held from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, in conjunction with the AgriScience Field Day. It will be held in the exhibition tent next to the Beef Barns.

"We want the students as well as the public to benefit from the Ag Careers Fair," said Richard Grossnickle, chairman of the Ag Task Force. Numerous exhibits will depict the ag career paths students may select for their future. "People just don't realize what careers are connected to agriculture and natural resources. We hope we can make the careers fair an annual part of the county fair."

The Great Frederick Fair Farmers' Market is open each Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a large offering of products such as fresh meats, baked goods, seafood, herbs, plants, and handmade items.

The market is being expanded to offer outdoor spaces to seasonal vendors. Booth sizes are based on eight and ten foot fronts. Please call for rates.

The market is unique in that it has its regular customers and it also draws from the various other activities that occur on the fairgrounds throughout the year. With an average of two to three events on the grounds each Saturday, the exposure and customer base is tremendous.

The catalog contains information about classes offered in household, arts and crafts, farm and garden departments, as well as livestock and 4-H being offered at this year’s event Ag-Venture...Exploring New Horizons in Agriculture, September 17-25. This year marks the fair’s 137th event.

Frederick artist Sherry Kemp has again provided the cover design of the catalog. "The cover is again a super illustration done by Sherry Kemp," said Maurice Gladhill, fair board president. "Sherry always does such a nice job with the catalog cover and we appreciate being able to feature her talents on the front of our fair catalog."

The 252-page catalog also features advertisements from many area individuals and businesses. "We are fortunate to have the advertisers’ support because that’s what helps pay for the printing of the catalog," Mr. Gladhill said. Fair participants will want to read the rules and regulations to abide by for entry dates and times and class entries.

All nine days/nights of the 137th Great Frederick Fair will feature entertainment in front of the grandstand come this September, and the fair is offering one of the best lineups in quite some time.

Musical entertainment starts in front of the grandstand at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, with John Michael Montgomery.

"The John Michael Montgomery concert is just the tip of the iceberg with the entertainment lineup at this year’s fair," said James McClellan, chairman of the fair’s Entertainment Committee. "The whole week from beginning to end is filled with great entertainment."

On Sunday, Sept. 19, the fair will feature Terri Clark. The 7 p.m. show promises to be a top-selling event with fans hearing her popular recordings. The popular Heart of Maryland Tractor and Truck Pull returns to the fair on Monday, Sept. 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed on Tuesday with Toby Keith at 7:30 p.m.

The Demolition Derby gets underway at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22. Thursday evening, Sept. 23, Bryan White takes to center stage at 7:30 p.m., followed by Billy Ray Cyrus on Friday. Sammy Kershaw returns for a repeat performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, the final evening of the fair.

Phone orders for tickets can be made by calling 301-695-3928 or 301-695-0049 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Orders can also be made by mail or on the Internet at www.thegreatfrederickfair.com. On-site purchases can be made at Building 2 on the fairgrounds beginning August 30 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Ticket prices for the events are as follows:
SATURDAY, SEPT. 18, John Michael Montgomery, $25/$22/$18
SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, Terri Clark, $22/$20/$16
MONDAY, SEPT. 20, Tractor, Truck Pull, $10/$8
TUESDAY, SEPT. 21, Toby Keith, $22/$20/$16
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, Demolition Derby, $10/$8
THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, Bryan White, $22/$20/$16
FRIDAY, SEPT. 24, Billy Ray Cyrus, $22/$20/$16
SATURDAY, SEPT. 25, Sammy Kershaw, $22/$20/$16

The prices do not include admission to the fairgrounds and there is a $1 per ticket handling fee for mail/phone orders.

Free afternoon grandstand entertainment begins Tuesday with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traveling Posse’ Band. Wednesday through Friday will feature Linda Lou and the Lucky Four with a variety of music. The afternoon performances will be held between the harness racing.

"The fair board brought back free afternoon grandstand entertainment last year," said Nancy Hendricks fair board vice president," so that we have something to offer between the races. "The Board wants to stress that the afternoons are free admission on the grandstand and we hope the public will enjoy the races and the entertainment."

And recognition they will get during a special program being held in conjunction with the 4-H Royalty Contest at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, the fair's opening evening. Students from across the county who are nominated for the special recognition will be featured that evening and throughout fair week.

"We are very pleased to be able to again crown the new 4-H royalty and recognize the new Farm Family of the Year," said Maurice Gladhill, fair board president. ABut we are especially pleased that some new and different recognitions will be made Friday evening with the county school's Character Counts Program. The 4-H and FFA programs already signify the pillars of the Character Counts, and it's nice that students can be honored on those same merits.

"There are a lot of 4-H and FFA youngsters who are not only top quality members in those two organizations, but in their schools, and during fair week, spectators will hear our livestock show announcers pay special tribute to them while the shows are going on."

"The public needs to be aware as much as anyone that there are good kids out there, and a lot of them participate in The Great Frederick Fair," Mr. Gladhill added.

Other activities during the Friday evening program will be the crowning of the 1999-00 Frederick County 4-H King and Queen and the naming of Frederick County's Farm Family of the Year. 4-H Queen Jennifer Hobbs of Sabillasville and 4-H King Steven O'Hara of Frederick will both hand over their reigns to the new incumbents. Th Paul Harrison family of Burkittsville will also assist with the naming of the new Frederick County Farm Family of the Year.

Some AG-XPLORING highlights for this year’s September 17-25 fair being offered we know you won’t want to miss are:

·Ag-Venture Passport Educational Program

Whether an exhibitor or one of our 250,000 visitors, we hope that you will pick up a copy of the Ag-Venture Passport Educational Program that will take you on a tour of the fair to show how agriculture touches each one of our lives each day in ways that many of us don’t realize.

The Agriculture Careers Fair being put on by the Frederick County Ag Task Force is also a new feature at this year’s 137th fair. It will be held from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, in an exhibit area next to the Beef Barns. Here, you will find a wide range of exhibits that show how extensive agriculture is, and the many career paths, whether in computers or pharmaceuticals, it has to offer. The one-day feature promises to be an educational venture for all who visit. And it’s being held in conjunction with the Frederick County AgriScience Field Day which attracts about 600 students.

Numerous area businesses, organizations and individuals have joined The Great Frederick Fair’s partnership program by sponsoring numerous events and programs at this year’s 137th annual event, September 17-25.

"We’ve been very fortunate over the years to get wonderful support from businesses, individuals, corporations and organizations," said Maurice Gladhill, fair board president.

Sponsors for the Ag-Venture Passport Educational Program are Schools-to-Careers, Frederick County Public Schools; The Kiplinger Foundation; The Frederick County Board of Commissioners; The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and The Frederick News-Post.

Other fair sponsors are: FCNB Bank, the fair’s three Visitors Centers; Classic Landscaping, the Landscapers Contest; Frederick County Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Women, Dairy Bar, Young Farmers, Frederick County Pomona Grange, Willard Agri Services, Ideal Buick, Meyers Liquid Fertilizer, Frederick County Farm Museum, Gardencraft Landscaping, all the coloring/activity book; Land O’ Lakes Cooperative, Dairy Maid Dairy, Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, all livestock exhibitors’ breakfast; Central Maryland Farm Credit, Frederick Gas Company, Frederick Co-op, Roadman Myers, Offutt, Horman, Burdette, Frey, Frank Gladhill, Linton, Shafer & Co., all City Streets, Country Roads Exhibit; Hankey Design Inc., graphics design; The Frederick News-Post and GS Communications, City Streets, Country Roads rulers and official fair posters; Maryland Soybean Board, coloring crayons; Frederick Kubota and Equipment Company, and Handcraft Unlimited, both Scarecrow Making; Farmers and Mechanics National Bank, entertainment tickets and envelopes; Frederick Magazine, working sheep dog demonstration; RSC/Tru Rents, Tate Chrysler Plymouth, Kings Mens Wear, Parlights and Gazette Newspapers, all It’s Fiber-Optics!; Sheetz Stores, LegenDAIRY Celebration.

The Great Frederick Fair has what you’re looking for...from commemorative hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts to collector’s trucks. And again this year, the fair is offering the decorative plaques commemorating harness racing. Only 300 of the numbered wooden items will be available.

A new decorative throw pillow is also being included in the fair’s souvenir offering for 1999. The pillow depicts the Household Building with the grandstand and a Ferris wheel in the background and a carousel in the foreground.

Souvenirs can be purchased at the fair’s Administration Office Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.