enlarge Courtesy Bill Haynes/Fryeburg Fair

Harness racing is a major draw at the Fryeburg Fair. Here the sulkies race in front of the main grandstand.

enlarge 2006 Press Herald file

A judge checks out a steer at one of the fair’s many agricultural events.

enlarge Courtesy Fryeburg Fair/Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum, one of the rising groups in country music, will perform Oct. 2 at the Fryeburg Fair.

The Fryeburg Fair, which opens its 158th edition today and closes Oct. 5, will feature two hot groups in country music, Lady Antebellum and Emerson Drive.

Both were nominated for Country Music Association awards Sept. 10. Lady A is up for the New Artist Of The Year Award while both have been nominated for Vocal Group of the Year.

The eight-day fair, called the Blue Ribbon Classic, closes Maine's season of agricultural fairs. It features six nights of free entertainment in front of the main grandstand at 8 p.m. In addition, live music will be performed daily at each of the fair's five parks.

The evening lineup features the Sean Mencher Combo Sept. 29, the Fryeburg Academy Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble Sept. 30, Emerson Drive Oct. 1, Lady Antebellum Oct. 2, A Night at the Rock Opera Oct. 3 and Little Texas Oct. 4.

All shows start at 8 p.m. and there is no additional charge for admittance once on the grounds Daily gate admission is $8 for the week and $10 on Saturday. Children under 12 are admitted free and seniors are admitted free on Tuesday.

The fair also includes the traditional offerings of harness racing, a midway featuring Smokey's Greater Shows, pig scrambles, other animals and exhibition halls or farm produce and crafts.

But some new features will be introduced, as well.

The Natural Resource Center, formerly the Forest Resource Center, this year will feature educational exhibits on solar energy, wind power, wood pellets and geothermal in addition to its traditional offerings.

Visitors will also find a newly constructed fire tower that replicates the Kearsarge Tower located in Bartlett, N.H. Former tower lookouts will be on hand to answer questions.

The Kearsarge North or Pequawket Tower, as it is known, was built in 1901 and staffed until 1968. On a clear day, the Pequawket Tower will be visible due west from the Fryeburg tower, a distance of about 15 miles. The 11- by 11-foot tower interior will include the map stand that came out of the Pleasant Mountain Tower along with an original Aladae sighting device.

The horse-drawn vehicle event this year will be unique or unusual vehicles.

The fairgrounds has an additional 5.5 acres, and an new parking area for 300 cars on Route 5 on the south side of the grounds.

For more information on fair entertainment as well as other fair information, go to www.fryeburgfair.org or call 935-3268.