The Winnebago County Fair features a Demolition Derby at 2 p.m. Sunday. (Winnebago County Fair photo)

With schools opening around the state and Labor Day on the horizon, folks still can enjoy the midway with corndog in hand, and all the attractions at the Winnebago County Fair this week.

The five-day event features attractions like rodeos, demolition derbies and tractor pulls, 4-H exhibits, a Fair Queen Pageant, music and other entertainment for all ages.  

There is also food, including roasted corn, funnel cakes, fried Twinkies, Philly cheesesteaks and just about any other fair food you can imagine, including pork chop sandwiches, brats and hot dogs cooked up by the Pecatonica Lions Club.  

No other county fair in Illinois is scheduled during the State Fair time frame. However, it’s unlikely there’s any real clash; the two events are half a state removed from each other, more than 200 miles and 3½ hours on Interstate 39.  

A general admission ticket gets you onto the carnival midway and into 85,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space, but not into the evening grandstand events. There are lower admission prices for seniors, veterans and kids ages 9-12.

The 4,000-seat Grandstand will see action events nightly starting at 7 p.m. for $8 to $10.  

• Thursday is Diesel Truck Races  

• Friday night, it’s Badger State Hot Rod Tractor Pulls followed by Farmers Class Tractor Pulls 

• Saturday, the Illini State Pullers will perform, along with Truck & Tractor Pulls  

• Sunday, the Grandstand events wind up at 2 p.m. with a Demolition Derby.    

There’ll be music every evening in the Entertainment Tent, starting with the Brockway Brothers’ R&B and classic rock Thursday night. Flatcar Riders bring their country music “and other classics” to the stage Saturday evening.  

Iowa’s Flatland Ridge brings its powerful mix of country, rock and pop to the Entertainment Tent, playing hits from the ’60s to the 21st century. Saturday will see two music acts, beginning with A Tribute to Elvis, performing 3-7 p.m. Hi-Infidelity will bring there ’80s hit covers to the tent between 9:30 and 12:30 am.  

There will also be a variety of entertainment on the Moss Hall stage. They include the Wicked Elite Cheer tumblers, Bodies in Motion Dance and Hoo Haven. The Dinosaur Dimensions is a 45-minute stage show featuring realistic puppets, including a baby Triceratops, a lifesize Raptor, a Pteranodon and a T-Rex.