Punta Gorda

March 14-20, 2012 E/N/C/V Let’s Go! 7Sarasota County Fair opens FridayBY KIM COOLFEATURES EDITORFriday is opening day of the SarasotaCounty Agricultural Fair and all the variedevents associated with such a production.The 10-day event includes rides, entertainment,craft exhibits and demonstrations, ascience fair, horticulture displays and competitions,livestock displays and competitions plus anauction. Proceeds go to 4-H and Future Farmersof America.On opening day the gates open at 2 p.m. andclose at 11 p.m. Visitors can purchase an armbad that allows all-day admission to the mechanicalrides from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. for $20. LakeviewElementary School chorus will perform at 6 p.m.and at 7 p.m. there will be a cattle show in theHouser Show Arena.Saturday the fair is open from noon to 11 p.m.and Sunday hours are noon to 10 p.m. One of thekey events Saturday is the dairy goat and pygmygoat show in the Houser Arena and at 7 p.m., abeef breeding show in the same location.Sunday there will be a dog show in the FFAtent at 12:30 p.m., and a llama show at 6 p.m. inthe Houser arena and a fashion show revue onthe main stage.Both days are arm band days. Ride all therides for $20 from noon to 6 p.m.Monday through Thursday the fair will be openfrom 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The arm-band ride specialis good from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.There will be a miniature horse show Mondayat 5:30 p.m. in the House arena.Wednesday the annual fair pageant will be onthe main stage at 6 p.m.Thursday, there will be a whip cracking contestat 7:30 p.m. om the Houser show arena.Friday the fair will be open from 2 p.m. to 11p.m. Students from Laurel-Nokomis School willperform on the main stage. At 6 p.m. and therewill be a 4-H and FFA steer sale auction in theHouser arena at 7:30 p.m.March 24-25 the fair opens at noon. It willclose at 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. on the finalday. The arm band special is good from noon to 6‘Back Home Again:A Tribute to John Denver’PROVIDED BY THE CULTURAL CENTERJohn Denver tribute artist Tom Becker will bebringing “Back Home Again - A Tribute toJohn Denver” to the Cultural Center at 7 p.m.Tuesday.The production stars Becker, a former memberof the legendary folk group, The New ChristyMinstrels, backed by a full band, in an intimateconcert setting.Wrapped around a poignant and often humorouslook at his life in folk music, the show featuresJohn Denver’s biggest hits including “Annie’sSong,” “Country Roads” and “Rocky MountainHigh” along with lesser known Denver songs thatare sure to please long-time fans.The show also includes songs and anecdotesfrom Becker’s days with The New Christy Minstrels,and his own original, Denver-inspired music.Ticktets are $18. For more information, call941-625-4175. The Cultural Center Theater islocated at 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte.p.m. and costs $20.There will be a plant sale in the plant tentbeginning at 1 p.m. and swine auction at 7 p.m.On the final day of the fair the arm bandspecial for the mechanical rides will be $25 plusadmission but is good until the closely hour.Every day visitors can see the sea lion splashat 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and RonDiamond will perform magic at p.m. and hypnosisat 9 p.m. on the main stage. The Dennis Leeshow will be daily at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on themain stage.Be sure to check out special events inCracker Land where the Crackerland Band willplay several times. There also is a Kiddie Landand — every day — the Frisco Tiger Show withtwo shows weekdays and three shows on Saturdayand Sunday and also everyday, Rosaire’sRacing Pigs at 2:15 p.m., 4 p.m.,6 p.m. and 8 p.m.The fair is at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds,3000 Ringling Blvd. For more information, visitwww.sarasotafair.com.r11-Night Baltic / Scandinavia from $137 / DaySailing round trip from Copenhagen, Denmark. Visiting Warnemunde,Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg (overnight onboard), Russia;Helsinki, Finland; & Stockholm, Sweden Hotel StayBONUS: 2-Night hotel stay in Copenhagen.Norwegian Sun.................................................$ 1499I NORWEGIAN'21-Night Grand Caribbean from $98 / DayI 1ISailing round trip from Ft. Lauderdale. 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