WHAT: Central Texas State Fair
WHEN: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: Bell County Expo Center, 301 W. Loop 121 in Belton
TICKETS: Daily fairground admission, $2 for adults and $1 for children. Main Arena event, $17 and $12 for reserved seating, $12 and $8 for general admission
NOTE: For information, visit www.centraltexasstatefair.com or call 254-933-5353.
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BELTON - After 21 years, the Central Texas State Fair just keeps getting bigger and better with age.
“It’s our 21st year. We’re becoming better as we get bigger,” said Tim Stephens, executive director of the Expo Center. “Hopefully this will be no exception in 2008.”
This year’s fair will feature live music, food and commercial vendors, some of the best bull riders in the sport, a demolition derby, carnival rides, double point livestock shows and a lot of exciting family fun, Stephens said.
“The fair is an event that belongs to the Expo Center,” Stephens said. “It’s our big in-house promotion of the year on Labor Day weekend. We are looking forward to another great fair with great activities.”
Jerry Nelson’s Frontier Rodeo Company will provide the stock for the Professional Bull Riding “Enterprise Tour.”
“These bull riders are going to come and match their skills and abilities against what I think is the greatest set of bucking bulls that’s been amassed maybe in the history of bull riding,” said Donnie Gay, general manager for the rodeo company.
The rodeo will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the dome of the Expo Center. The cowboys will compete for $8,000 in prize money.
“Bring your family. As expensive as it is to run your family up and down the highway now, there’s no reason to go anywhere,” Gay said. “We are going to entertain you. Trust me, if you like bull riding, come to Belton.”
The “Night of Destruction” demolition derby will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Main Arena of the Expo Center. Local and area drivers will compete for $1,000 in first-place prize money.
“It’s truly an exciting event. If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to come out,” Stephens said. “It does not lack for action. There is a lot of crashing and banging and very entertaining.”
Along with the demolition derby, there will be an ATV 4 wheeler quad races competing for trophies and cash prizes.
The Sudden Impact Racing Team will return with their monster truck for rides. Tickets will be sold at the truck.
Main event tickets are available at the Bell County Expo Center, Texas Box Office ticket outlets, ITR office on Fort Hood, H-E-B in Temple and Renaissance Records in Killeen. All tickets will be subject to a service fee.
--rrenfrow@temple-telegram.com
