LeAnn Rimes to perform at 2009 ‘green-themed’ Topsfield Fair

Plans have been finalized and preparations are under way for the 191st edition of the Topsfield Fair, which will feature several new events, exhibits and performers mixed in with some tried and true classics.The theme of this year’s fair, which will run for 10 days from Oct. 3-12 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, is “Go Green with Us.””Everybody talks about going green but we actually are green,” said Topsfield Fair General Manager James O’Brien. “We didn’t know we were green even though we were doing it. We just thought, ‘That’s what you’re supposed to do.'”Over the last few years, fair maintenance staff has been separating cardboard, cans, bottles and food waste from the trash for recycling. The food waste is given to Brick Farm in Hamilton and turned into compost. Compost from last year’s fair will be handed out in small bags at the new Green Pavilion.The Green Pavilion, which is being sponsored by EBSCO, will be held in the show tent and play host to 15 eco-friendly companies, green activities and Waste Disposal of Gloucester, which will provide fair goers with information about recycling practices of the Topsfield Fair.Keeping with the green theme, butter sculptor Jim Victor will be seen in a glass trailer sculpting more than 300 pounds of butter into a cow with solar panels attached to it. Victor will step out of the trailer every half hour to speak with fair patrons. The butter, kept cool throughout the fair, will be donated to charity.Jeff Corwin is returning to the Arena Saturday, Oct. 10, with “Tales from the Field,” an interactive program in which Corwin discusses environmental conservation and brings audience members onstage to interact with the animals while he explains the issues each species faces from day to day. Tickets are $15 each, or $48 for a family four pack.Also on Oct. 10, Grammy Award winner LeAnn Rimes will be performing in the Arena at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 each or $120 for a pack of four tickets.”It is driven toward giving our patrons an opportunity to see an act,” O’Brien said, noting the fair does not profit from paid concerts, which it has offered the past few years.Other new events include the Twitter scavenger hunt, demolition derby, figure 8 racing, the world champion high dive show, which will be performed daily by David Musselman on Grange Road, and the Friesian classic open horse show.The Friesian classic, which will take place in the Arena, features open classes including a Friesian fantasy costume class, an open costume class and a Friesian period costume class. There will be Morgan horse and Canadian horse classes and other demonstrations throughout the show.”We are excited to finally offer a pleasure ring show at the Topsfield Fair,” said Rick Drew of the Northeast Friesian Horse Club. “Amongst the Friesians that are showing will be recent world champions along with some of the breed’s premium horses. The Friesian costume classes are among the most popular classes at any show as the costumes generally run between 4 and 5 digits in costs.”Returning fair favorites include the agricultural and live stock exhibits, horse, oxen and tractor pulling contests, Robinson’s racing pigs, the petting farm and the bee keeping and honey exhibit. Grandstand acts will include Heidi Newfield, SHe DAISY, Shana Stack and Fastlane, North Sea Gas, Grupo Fanatasia, Ernie and the Automatics, Susan Tedeschi, The Flying Wallendas and the 27th annual Colgate Country Showdown.Daily admission for tickets purchased before Sept. 30 cost $7 each for 100 tickets or more, or $8 each for less than 100 tickets. During the fair, weekday tickets are $10 and $12 on the weekend.Parking will be available at the fair grounds for $8, or for $5 at the satellite parking sites located at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield, or on the weekends at North Shore Community College in Danvers. Buses will shuttle patrons to and from the fair for free and there will be entertainment in the parking lot to get the fair experience start