BLUE HILL – The 112th Blue Hill Fair rolls into town and will bring with it a long tradition of country agriculture.

With good weather, the fair draws about 30,000 people to the fairgrounds during its five-day run.

“We’ve got good music, rides, food and animals,” Robbie Eaton, president of the Hancock County Agricultural Society, said Monday as crews worked to get ready for opening day. “We’ve got a good mixture of all of the above.”

The fair is, above all, an agricultural fair featuring a variety of attractions that highlight farming both past and present. Zucchinis, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and more line the shelves at the exhibition hall under the grandstand, showing off the gardening skills of area residents. Fresh vegetables hold their place across from preserved varieties and the grange exhibits. A potpourri of flowers brightens the 4-H building, while arts and handicrafts will be on display in a separate shed.

The pulling contests can almost transport you back to times past when draft horses and oxen did that kind of work on a daily basis.

The fair also boasts a good representation of livestock, featuring both 4-H and open contests that attract the interest of a wide variety of fairgoers.

“I used to think the rides and the food were the big attraction,” Eaton said. “But more and more I’m understanding how much interest there is in the livestock and how big a draw it is for our fair. There aren’t a lot of farms in this area anymore and there’s a large amount of interest in seeing the animals and going through the barn.”

The antique-tractor pull also was a popular attraction last year and will return this year.

In addition to the livestock competitors, most of whom travel a good distance to attend the fair, the Ag-Venture Far Tour, will be back this year. The live, interactive farm display was a big hit last year, Eaton said, and it gives people the chance to learn about different aspects of farming.

The rides and the food also are part of the tradition and they’ll certainly be featured. Smokey’s Greater Shows provides all of the mechanical thrill rides and vendors local and from afar will be ready to please palates with fare ranging from doughboys, egg rolls, sausage and french fries to cotton candy, candy apples, ice cream and lime fizzes.

The fair has attracted a number of big name musicians over the years. This year is no exception.

Country star Patty Loveless will be the feature show on Labor Day to close out the fair.

The Alabama Blues Brothers, a Jake and Elwood Blues Brothers impersonation act, will entertain Friday night, while perennial fair favorite Rick Charette and the Bubble Gum Band, take the stage Sunday followed by the a giant fireworks display.

Charlie Belknap’s Hollywood Stunt Show will perform two shows on Saturday.

The Blue Hill Fair runs Aug. 28-Sept. 1. Admission is $6 per adult, $4 for senior citizens and free for children under 12. For information, call 374-3701.