Ohio State Fair offers variety of fun, entertainment

The 2012 Ohio State Fair is under way and there are plenty of events and attractions sure to please fairgoers alike. Saturday, July 28 features everything from singing competitions, to concerts to chainsaw carvings.

• AEP Ohio Day - Any AEP Ohio customer can present his or her bill at a booth outside entrance gates to receive $5 admission vouchers for everyone in his or her party before 5 pm.

• Jr. Hampshire & Yorkshire Swine Showmanship - 10 am in the O'Neill Swine Building

• The Isley Brothers - Ronald and Ernie Isley are performing in the WCOL Celeste Center at 7 pm. Tickets are $25. Tickets purchased before arriving at the Fair include admission.

• Guys & Gals Sheep Lead Competition - 9 am in the Brown Arena.

• Boy Scouts "Scouting For Food" Drive - From 11 am to 4 pm inside Cardinal Gate, Boy Scouts will be collecting canned and non-perishable food to go to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, which provides more than 76,000 meals each day. Donations between 4 pm and 8 pm can be dropped off at the Boy Scouts booth in the Youth Center.

• Jr. Hampshire Swine Show - 1 pm in the O'Neill Swine Building

• Chainsaw Carving - Ohio artisan Ted Scherer will be carving masterful works of art with his chainsaw from 10 am to 5 pm at the DiSalle Center dock.

• Ohio Lamb & Wool Queen Contest - 9 am in the Brown Arena

• Columbus All-Breed Dog Agility - Local dogs strut their stuff with as-seen-on-TV style agility at Rhodes Center Lawn. Show times are 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm.

• Ohio Idol - Following months of scouring for the best vocalists at festivals, fairs and auditions statewide, the Ohio Idol top 10 will compete for the title of Ohio Idol at 7 pm at the Main Street Stage. Winning this competition means an opportunity to tour Ohio through 2013, win $10,000 in cash and a recording contract from John Schwab Recording Studio.

• Junior Wool Show - 1 pm in the Brown Arena.

• Bronkar - Now is your chance to see the world's only rhythmic juggling beat boxer walking around grounds! He'll blend music and comedy with his energetic persona to create a signature "circus of sound." He will be performing at the Gazebo Stage at 2 pm, 3:30 pm and 6 pm.

• The Conjurer - This vivacious, charming trickster will create memories that will last a lifetime with his sleight of hand, mind reading and more when he strolls the grounds.

• Hand Spinning Fleece Competition - 2:30 pm in the Brown Arena.

• Recycle Cycle - A vehicle made entirely of reclaimed and reused materials will be driving around the grounds today.

• Jr. Landrace & Duroc Showmanship - Noon in the O'Neill Swine Building.

For more information, call 1-888-OHO-EXPO or 1-614-644-FAIR. On the Web, visit ohiostatefair.com.

The Ohio Expo Center is proud to host the Ohio State Fair. With a spectacular midway, big-name entertainment, hundreds of exhibits and one of the largest junior fair shows in the nation, the 2012 Ohio State Fair will run July 25 - August 5.