GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County Agricultural Fair Executive Director Tasha Hyder and Ambassador Rebecca Padgett were talking about pumping fresh ideas into Early Florida Village when Padgett mentioned getting children more involved with rudimentary tasks that were once common decades ago in Florida.

She talked about shucking corn and shelling peas. Hyder then remembered hearing about a corn boil at the Suwannee County Fair. A few minutes later, they concocted a plan for the Rotary Club of Green Cove Springs to sell boiled corn in Early Florida Village during the Fair. The proceeds will be split to support Rotary’s nonprofit programs and to spruce up Early Florida Village.

“It’s something different that was very popular at Suwannee,” Hyder said. “It’s also a great way to help a local charitable group, and for the Fair to make money to fix up Early Florida Village. We’re always looking for new ideas, and this one seems to make sense.”

Padgett, the Marketing Director at Penney Retirement Community and a member of the Rotary Club, said the corn will be shucked on site, then boiled and served fresh.

“One thing led to another, and between Tasha and I we came up with the idea,” Padgett said. “We wanted to show how people used to do things in the past. We couldn’t shell peas because they aren’t in season, but we can shuck corn. If we’re going to be interactive and show youth how they shuck corn, it made sense to go ahead and do a corn boil and sell it.”

The Fair opens on April 2 and runs for 11 days until April 12.

Discounted tickets are on sale through April 1 at 14 locations – Community First Credit Unions on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park, Fleming Island and Oakleaf, the Clay County Farm Bureau, Clay Electric on Blanding in Orange Park and in Keystone Heights, Russell Feed Store in Middleburg, the Thrasher-Horne Center, Green Cove Spring City Hall, Orange Park Town Hall, Keystone Heights City Hall, Penney Farms Town Hall and NAS Jax and Mayport Military Bases.

Active military can receive discounted tickets at the Navy Exchange/Tickets and Travel offices at NAS Jax and Mayport. Discounts aren’t offered at the gate.

Discounts are $2 a ticket if bought in advance, and discounts aren’t available on Saturdays.

For more information on daily prices, deals and hours, visit claycountyfair.org.

LET IT RIDE: Andy Deggeller was using a measuring wheel and a can of white spray paint to map out a grid to squeeze five new rides into an already busy Midway for next week’s Fair.

Deggeller Attractions have been providing thrills and chills since the first Fair in 1987. The layout that year was made on the back of a napkin.

This year, there will be more than 50, including thrill rides like Storm 360 and Downdraft and family rides like Groovy Bus, Buccaneer and Wiggle Worm.

Of course, patrons can also enjoy some of Deggeller’s most popular attractions, like Hang 10, Sea Ray, Spaceport, Hydra, Riptide, Starship, Vertigo, Typhoon, Zero Gravity and Musik Express.

Jamie Deggeller, Andy’s wife, said there are plenty of family rides, like Crazy Chopper, Dragon Coaster, Magic Maze, Merry-Go-Round, New York Taxi, Tornado, Bananas, Circus Train, Haunted Mansion, Bumper Boats, Farm Tractors, Happy Swing, Teacups, Safari Bus, Quad Runner and Jump Around.

“Clay County, it’s like family there. Everyone is very important to us,” Jamie said. We take great pride in that event.”

To enjoy the Midway fairgoers can buy wristbands in advance at claycountyfair.org or at the Fair. Prices vary, depending on the day.

CLAY DAY: Opening day on April 2 not only marks the beginning of an 11-day run, but it also celebrates the Fair’s 40^th anniversary in Clay County.

To mark the occasion, county residents can get in for $5, and the first night of concerts feature three local favorites – the Curt Towne Band, Duval County Line and Big Engine.

Fans can secure reserved seats for as little as $27, which includes gate admission. Grandstand seats cost the same as reserved seats, so make sure you get a reserved seat.

The VIP seating area includes food and soft drinks for $62 a ticket, which includes gate admission.

Other bands include Terri Clark on April 3, George Birge on April 4, Brett Young on April 5, Crowder on April 6, and the Isaacs on April 7.

All shows start at 7 p.m., except for the Isaacs, which wraps up the concert portion of the Fair at 2 p.m.

The very popular Demolition Derby will return on April 9 at 6 p.m. Grandstand seats are $28, and the VIP section is already sold out.

Unlike previous years, there will be no tractor pulls. The Fair Association moved them to stand-alone weekends (Feb. 12-13), but the Silent Goat Disco (April 10), Sunflower Hours (April 4 from 10 a.m. to noon when all music will be muted), fireworks (April 3 at 10 p.m.), beard and mustache contest (April 9), Star Search (April 10), motorcycle flat-track racing (April 11) and lawnmower races (April 12) are all back.