SMETHPORT — The 2007 McKean County Fair, which celebrates its 102nd year this year, will take place Sunday through Aug. 18 at the fairgrounds in East Smethport.

Bates Brothers Amusements of Wintersville, Ohio, is back again this year with a wide variety of rides — kiddie, family and spectacular — for the entire family. Visitors can check with fair officials for ride times.

Initiating the fair on Sunday will be the pony pull at 11 a.m., followed by the horse pull at 1 p.m.

Pre-registered exhibits will be accepted from 1 to 5 p.m.

Also on opening day, fair officials and local, county and state government officials are invited to participate in the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. on the mini-stage.

The annual vesper service will follow on the mini-stage, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

On Monday, the Elephant Encounter begins its first of six consecutive daily appearances at the fair. Performance times will be announced.

Elephant Encounter gives audiences an opportunity to interact with the world’s largest land animals.

The Morris family, the elephants’ handlers, said they will feature both species of elephants. Cora is a 44-year-old Asian elephant, weighing in at 9,000 pounds, and Shannon, the African elephant, is 17-years-old and tips the scales at 4,500 pounds.

These “family” elephants have been owned and cared for by the Morris family for virtually their entire lives.

Also on Monday, pre-registered exhibits will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon. The 4-H livestock weigh-ins are also set for noon.

At 1 p.m., the pet show will be held on the mini-stage, and judging of the exhibits will begin. Rabbit judging is slated for 2 p.m.

Rounding out events on Monday will be the Grand Parade, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., with the fair queen contest to follow. Candidates for the fair queen represent each of the county’s high schools, one of whom will succeed the reigning fair queen, Miss Smethport, Rachel Gustafson.

Chicken judging at 8 a.m. will open the day’s events for Tuesday.

The 4-H horse show and the 4-H open dairy show are both scheduled at 10 a.m., with goat judging beginning at 3 p.m.

Also on Tuesday, the public can bid on the baked goods’ entries at the 6:30 p.m. auction at the Charles Irons Exhibit Hall.

The Poverty Neck Hillbillies, a country band from Southwestern Pennsylvania, make their second consecutive appearance at the fair at 8 p.m. This popular group has been featured in People Magazine and on national television shows such as “Access Hollywood” and Fox and Friends.”

This year also marks the return of the Full Pull Productions Tractor Pull, a popular event that drew thousands of fans in past years. The action begins at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

On Wednesday, judging begins for the 4-H swine, beef, market goats and sheep. Llama and alpaca judging starts at 4 p.m.

Rounding out the day’s events are the stock-car races at 7:30 p.m. and performances by Sally Peterson and Wildfire at 8:30 p.m.

Aug. 16 has been designated Senior Citizens Day, sponsored by Northwest Savings Bank. Senior citizens, 62 years of age and older, will be admitted to the grounds free of charge all day.

The judging of draft and light horses and ponies begins the day’s schedule at 10 a.m.

The senior citizens program will be presented on the mini-stage at 1 p.m. In the competition for the titles of senior king and queen will be representatives from the county’s senior centers and nursing homes.

The grandstands will fill up quickly before the starting time of 7:30 p.m. for the ever-popular demolition derby.

The Burnin’ Hills Band, another local group, takes the stage at 8:30 p.m.

Pepsi Family Day is Aug. 17, with activities getting under way at noon on the racetrack.

“Spittin’ Image,” featuring the twins, Brian and Blain Schwabb, make their first appearance at the fair with a two-hour show, beginning at 7 p.m.

Also at 7 p.m., the Beautiful Baby Contest will be held on the mini-stage.

At 8 p.m., the Vaters’ Monster Motorsports Show opens, with the R&R Fireworks display to follow.

Aug. 18, the final day of the fair, opens with the annual 4-H livestock auction, to be held in the Larry Ackley Livestock complex, which was dedicated last year in honor of Ackley, the longtime 4-H leader and Fair Association secretary.

Starting at 11 a.m. the alpacas will be on display at the show arena.

A Karaoke competition is set for 1 p.m. on the mini-stage, and the second demolition derby of the week also begins at 1 p.m.

At 6 p.m. is the Junior Prince/Princess Contest on the mini-stage.

Jake Owen, the country music start who headlines this year’s fair, stars in one show only at 8 p.m.

Exhibits must be removed between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Aug. 19.

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