Statesboro’s annual “Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair” kicks off this Monday for a week-long festival next to the Kiwanis building off Highway 67. The fair will host events such as rides, food and livestock showings.

“This is going to be our opening night,” Harry Wachniak, fair chairman, said, “We’ve got the parade which is going to lead up to everything, and then tonight we will have basically a kick off night.”

The fair will open tonight from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Gate admissions will be $5 with a portion going to the Bulloch County Food Bank, according to the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair website.

Community involvement

Churches, school organizations and local businesses come from all over Statesboro to participate in the fair, which Wachniak said really ties the community together.

“There are frankly more [Organizations] than I can mention,” Wachniak said.”What a lot of folks don’t realize when we do the fair each year, number one, every penny that Kiwanis raises is given away. Everything. But you have groups, churches, the high school that will come and set up, this is their big fundraiser for the year. It truly is a community event from that standpoint.”

Special nights

According to the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair website the following groups will receive free admission on the following nights.

Tuesday, Oct. 17: Senior Appreciation Night

Wednesday, Oct. 18: Student Night

• Free admission for all school students. A current ID will be required for college students

Thursday, Oct. 19: Military Appreciation Night

• Free admission for active and retied military and dependents with ID

After Irma

Rides, carnival food, business booths and local organizations filled the field behind the Kiwanis building, however, Kiwanis did have to do some work from damage caused by Irma.

“We’ve done a lot of repairs because the storm of course really set us back,” Wachniak said, “We got our windmill back up and repairs to the aldridge house, which those are two big things we worked on.”

For more information about the fair’s schedule and events please click here.