GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Abbi Bell believes you should meet her at the Clay County Agricultural Fair because: “We're a small-town favorite. We've been in the area locally since 1977, and everybody knows who we are. You'll get good, fresh food at the same restaurant, and it won’t be much different from what you’ll get out of our trailer.”

This year’s motto — Meet Me at the Fair — invites everyone back to the county’s biggest event and encourages the community to interact, make new friends and meet old friends.

The opening ceremony will start at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 3. Then, 11 days of rides, exhibits, music, competitions and events will begin, generating about $4 million in local economic impact and attracting 185,000 visitors.

Bell works in the Cedar River Seafood booth on Main Street. Her family has attended the fair for as long as she can remember.

Lynn Peaslee will be in the guest services booth in front of the marketplace, exhibits, and arts and horticulture building. She invites everyone to meet her at the fair.

“I love it because I love talking with people,” she said. “If you have any questions, come see me. Ask me anything.”

She’s not the only one who wants to meet you.

“I want to do whatever I can to get you where you need to go,” said Nashaly Morales, a Clay County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Service aide who will direct traffic inside the main entrance. “If you smile and wave, it can defuse the situation.”

“We demonstrate and help anybody who'd like to learn our skill,” said Shar Lane, who has been at Early Florida Village for more than 25 years. “We have baby looms they can weave on and other skills they can learn with my group.”

The event promotes North Florida agriculture and education, showcases youth achievement, and provides a venue for family entertainment, community engagement and charitable giving.

At the first fair, there were just a handful of rides. This year, Deggeller Attractions will feature more than 46, including the new Rock-N-Roll Himalaya, which takes riders through hills and valleys in a sound system with lights and other effects to enhance the experience.

“Clay County is very important to us,” said Jamie Deggeller. “It's like family there. Everyone, the whole community at the fair, everybody there, is very important to us. We take great pride in that event.

“The fair has grown by leaps and bounds since. Clay is top for us in Florida – and we do a lot of fairs in Florida.”

Armbands again allow riders to enjoy most rides without buying individual tickets. By using armbands, riders can avoid standing in line for tickets and avoid person-to-person contact.

The concert lineup will include headliners Clint Black, Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker, Chase Matthew, The Spin Doctors, The Casellows and Tigirlily Gold, Micah Tyler and We The Kingdom, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

Other entertainment options include a hobby horse competition, mullet matchup, beard and mustache contests, silent disco goat party and demolition derby.

Naturally, there are plenty of agricultural events, like livestock shows and exhibits, AG Town, Unlimited Goat Show, Rosaire’s Royal Pig Racers, Poultry Showmanship, Horticulture and Home Arts Auction, Plant and Art Auction, Rabbit Showmanship, 4-H/FFA Steer Show, Livestock Judging, Poultry Judging, Horticulture Judging, and Steer and Swine Sale.

Some of the biggest benefactors of the fair are the Clothes Closet and Food Pantry of Orange Park, Clay County Animal Services and Clay County Education Foundation. Winn-Dixie and the fair coordinate Our Fair Cares to collect canned goods, non-perishable items, pet supplies, and school supplies on Tuesday, April 8. Clay County stores were supplied with bins to collect items 25 days before the fair opened to accelerate the donations for the three local nonprofits.

Last year, Our Fair Cares collected nearly four tons of supplies.

“A year ago, Winn-Dixie put collection boxes at all of our Clay County stores, which really increased our numbers,” said Green Cove Springs store manager Mike Finnick. “I also challenged our managers to get our associates behind this because it’s so important to help the Clothes Closet and Food Pantry.”

Finnick said customers donated 80 cases – 1,920 cans – of vegetables at his store a year ago. He said this year’s goal is to donate 100 cases (2,400 cans). They thought I made a mistake when I ordered 100 cases, but I believe our community will donate 100 this year.”

“The Fair was incredible last year,” said Clothes Closet and Food Pantry President Mandy Nelson. “It was such a blessing. We served 11,997 people, and the fair donation went a long way to helping the people in Orange Park and Fleming Island.”

For fair hours and schedules, visit claycountyfair.org.