Food drive to be held as part of fair

While it’s usually fun and games at the Monmouth County Fair, this year residents are invited to join the MonmouthCounty Park System and the Monmouth County 4-H Association in helping local families in need by contributing to a Food and Fund Drive to benefit the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Boxed and canned nonperishable food items and monetary donations will be collected at the fair front gate on July 24. The goal is to collect 50,000 pounds of food in honor of the park system’s 50th anniversary.

Glass items will not be accepted.

The 2010 Monmouth County Fair will run five days with each day having a theme. The dates and times as follows:

• July 21, Opening Night and Motor Sports Night, 5-11 p.m.
• July 22, Circus Night, 5-11 p.m.
• July 23, Circus Night, 5-11 p.m.
• July 24, Children’s Day, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• July 25, Seniors Day, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Highlights of the fair include rides, pie eating contests, lumberjack shows, free stage entertainment, home and garden competitions and exhibitions, children’s games, firemen’s competition, pig races and an antique auto/classic car show.

There will be three sessions of pay-oneprice amusement rides with ride wristbands ($18 each session) available on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

The Monmouth County Fair will be held at the East Freehold Park Showgrounds on Kozloski Road between Route 33 and Route 537, Freehold Township. General admission is $7 per person. Children 12 and under are admitted free at all times.

For the most current information about the Monmouth County Fair, visit www.monmouthcountyparks. com or call 732-842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the TTY/TDD number is 711.

The Monmouth County Fair is organized and presented by the Monmouth County Park System in cooperation with the Monmouth County 4-H Association.