In celebration of “35 Years of Magic,” the 2024 Georgia National Fair kicked off Thursday afternoon.

“The Georgia National Fair is more than cotton candy, concerts and carnival games,” Visit Perry posted on Facebook. “It is a spectacular celebration of Georgia’s vibrant culture, arts and agriculture.”

The 11-day fair includes home and art competitions, horse and livestock shows, family entertainment, food, rides and games, concerts, concession stands and evening fireworks displays.

Permit

Daily admission is $15 for ages 11 and older and $10 for seniors 60 and older. Children up to 10 years have free entry. Tickets are $1.25 each.

Savings include a two-day pass for $25 and a season pass for $95. Adults have a $5 discount on October 3rd, 8th, 9th and 13th, and unlimited ride armbands can be purchased on October 3rd-4th, 7th-11th and October 13th for $30 or $35 depending on day purchased.

Additionally, military members and their immediate families are admitted free with a military ID on Patriot Day, October 6th.

Eat

Visitors can expect more than 60 food vendors offering traditional, fair-trade foods including funnel cakes, candied apples, cotton candy, kettle corn, turkey legs, roasted corn, Philly cheesesteaks, Polish sausages, pizza and more.

For Maryland crabcakes, shrimp seafood boil, frog legs and alligator on skewers, stop by Big G’s Food Service. London broilsteak sandwiches are available at F&W Concessions, while Boardwalk Noodles offers noodle bowls with fresh vegetables, topped with chicken, steak or shrimp.

A new vendor this year, Salter’s Concessions, offers pretzel dogs, pretzel brats, pretzel kielbasa and baked potatoes.

GNF’s third annual food fair battle will take place online, allowing fairgoers to vote for new food creations from multiple vendors.

Events

Popular recurring events include Robinson’s Racing Pigs, which features an Oreo cookie prize, Nerveless Nocks Extreme Water Ski and Stunt Show Spectacular, featuring water skiing and Hollywood stunt performers, and Mutton Bustin’, which features children as young as 4 Ages 8 and under weighing less than 65 pounds are invited to attempt to ride a sheep for six seconds.

Listed as a new event, the Space Adventures Thrill Show features a motorcycle globe, aerial and trampoline stunts, fire displays and more.

Concerts

This year’s evening concerts include country artist Josh Turner, ’80s and ’90s band Warrant and R&B artist Ginuwine.

A playlist to listen to some of the featured artists can be found on the GNF website.

Here is the concert program:

• Thursday October 3rd: Bellamy Brothers

• Friday October 4th: Josh Turner

• Saturday. Oct. 5: Grapevine

• Sunday, October 6th: Southside Worship

• Monday October 7th: West Love & The 478 Band

• Tuesday, October 8th: Arrest warrant

• Wednesday October 9th: Ginuwine

• Thursday October 10th Cooper Alan

• Friday October 11th: Yachtley Crew

• Saturday October 12th: Marshall Charloff Purple Xperience

• Sunday October 13th: Rumba Latina

Provider

All types of vendors flock to the GNF, from those selling homemade goods to tractors and farm equipment.

A Blend Above Midwest offers gourmet dips, spreads, desserts and soups. Jams, jellies, honey and hot sauces can be found at Country Sweets, while Lund Works offers handmade leather belts, wallets and purses.

Dog lovers can find treats in the form of ethical food at Annie’s Pooch Pops, while Pups Up offers sweatshirts, bandanas, slow feeders, harnesses, collars and leashes.

Lather in Love LLC offers organic soaps, body butters, sugar scrubs and dry herbal teas, while Unique Designs has dolls, handmade jewelry and clothing for sale.

Exhibitions and competitions

Two new residential competitions will be held on the same day this year at the Miller-Murphey-Howard Building.

• The 35 Years of Magic Fair Food Contest is a competition celebrating 35 years of iconic fair foods featured at GNF. It’s October 10th at 12:30 p.m.

• “Recipes from 1990s Movies” is a competition in which participants create dishes inspired by 1990s films. It’s October 10th at 7 p.m.

Returning this year is the Georgia Crown Baby Barn, a live birth center and neonatal breeding facility for livestock in the Georgia Crown Building.

GNF hours

Gates are open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with food and outdoor stalls remaining open an hour later until 10:00 p.m

Average opening times are Monday to Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The McGill Marketplace is open Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Georgia Crown Building, Heritage Hall and Miller Murphy Howard buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m

Tips

The clock tower at the center of the sprawling 1,100-acre GNF is a good meeting point, especially if you’re separated from your group.

Both an event plan and a trade fair map can be downloaded from the GNF website.

Parking is always free and is available at the North, East and West gates.

The last day of the GNF is October 13th.

For more information, visit the GNF website at georgianationalfair.com.