Fairs/Festivals

A variety of planes and helicopters will take to the sky Saturday and Sunday during the 2012 Wings Over Whiteman Air Show and Open House. According to Jennifer Greene, director of community relations, gates will open at 9 a.m. and the opening...... Full story

The Lions Club’s annual Mo Blues Cruise & BBQ will be held earlier than usual this year and at a new location. The one-day event will be on June 2 at the Swine Pavilion on the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Admission is $10 per person.The...... Full story

The photos from Rhonda Chalfant’s new book “Images of America: Missouri State Fair” tell the pictorial history of Missouri’s premier agricultural showcase.The book, one in a series of state fair photo collections by Arcadia...... Full story

You might not recognize the name Daniel Lawrence Whitney, but I’d be willing to bet that you are familiar with his work.His most famous, and indeed only, character is called Larry the Cable Guy. Whitney dons a sleeveless shirt and adopts a...... Full story

Every year when the Missouri State Fair releases the lineup for the Pepsi Grandstand, I like to write a column in which I familiarize myself with the musical or comedic stylings of the performers who are going to grace the fair’s biggest...... Full story

The Missouri State Fair’s Pepsi Grandstand is adding some laughs this year, as Larry The Cable Guy will perform Aug. 17 The fair released the 2012 concert lineup on Monday, and it includes the usual mix of familiar names and rising stars. In...... Full story

The Missouri State Fair has made its first announcement of a concert at this year’s fair. Country artist Hank Williams Jr.’s “Taking Back the Country” Tour is scheduled to make a 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18 stop at the Pepsi...... Full story

Ashton Faith, of Cole Camp, won the Cole Camp Fair Vocal Showcase competition on Sept. 10. Vicki Walton, of Sedalia, was the runner-up; and Eric Tucker, of Cole Camp, was the second runner-up.Faith took home a trophy and $500 and will get to record...... Full story

Award-winning entries in fine arts were recognized at a reception held Wednesday at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Winners were named in the open, photography and porcelain art categories, along with those who placed in the Missouri Top 50 and...... Full story

Sugar Bush won the second annual Missouri State Fair Battle of the Bands, impressing the judges on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Budweiser tent. The Warsaw-area band, which regularly plays at area clubs such as Dickie-Doo Bar-B-Que in Sedalia, won...... Full story

The Missouri 4-H and FFA organizations will share the $12,500 earned from a guitar auction held Sunday night during the Country Gold Tour at the Missouri State Fair. Four Sedalia business owners made the contribution, setting a new record for both...... Full story

Budweiser Stage• Mockingbird Sun, 2 and 6 p.m. Aug. 11, free with gate admission.• Missouri State Fair Idol, 4 p.m. Aug. 11 through 16 (preliminaries), 4 p.m. Aug. 17 through 20 (semifinals), 2 p.m. Aug. 21 (finals), free with gate...... Full story

Due to lead singer’s Johnny Van Zant illness, Lynyrd Skynyrd will not play on Friday at the Missouri State Fair Pepsi Grandstand, according to band representative Nicole Hauer.The Doobie Brothers are still scheduled to perform, fair marketing...... Full story

The third annual Cole Camp Fair Vocal Showcase will be Sept. 10 and contestants are being sought.Contestants may participate in the preliminary round by sending a CD with at least two songs by Aug. 15 along with a $15 entry fee made payable to the...... Full story

Democrat columnist Travis McMullen will escort one reader and two guests to the Rhonda Vincent and The Rage concert Aug. 17 at the Missouri State Fairgrounds and will write a commentary about the concert for our readers. How do you get in on this...... Full story