2009 Oregon State Fair: the Place to Be

(SALEM, Ore.) - Big excitement awaits fairgoers Friday; Pop queen Katy Perry is on hand to wow her fans, and a special treat will be Standing Strong: The Tribes of Western Oregon.

This is the final day of NPRA Queen Pageant and the last day of NPRA Rodeo Finals, followed by “Down in the Dirt” party.

10:00 a.m.
STANDING STRONG: THE TRIBES OF WESTERN OREGON. A celebration of history, sovereignty and culture since time immemorial, six tribes present on the Bi-Mart Spirit of Oregon Stage. PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
KIDS’ COOKIE FAIR. Calling all pint-sized culinary artists! Kids under the age of 12 can come and decorate their own cookie with the help of professional bakers.Then they get the fun of eating their cookies. Sponsored and operated by local members of the International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES), this event is also taking place on Saturday & Sunday. Location: Americraft Center

1:00 p.m.
2010 NPRA PAGEANT. The pageant continues: the seven finalists, dressed in formal rodeo attire, will show off their poise and speaking skills as they compete on the new Bi-Mart Spirit of Oregon stage. The categories of the competition include Modeling and Speech, and each contestant will participate in a mock TV interview.

6:00 p.m.
NPRA RODEO FINALS. The final night of this great, free event. Tonight features a Grand Entry by the Northwest rodeo queens and is followed by a “Down in the Dirt” party with country singer Aaron Tippin (see below). Location: The Pavilion. PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Professionals on bucking broncos; NPRA Queens in formal rodeo attire.

8:00 p.m.
KATY PERRY. One of today’s hottest act s, pop star Katy Perry rose to fame in 2007 on the Internet. In 2008 she released her first mainstream album, One of the Boys. It contains the worldwide hits "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot N Cold," both certified three-time platinum in the U.S.

Tickets cost $35, $40 and $60 and include general admission to the Fair. They are available at TicketsWest (1-800-992-8499 or Ticketswest.com) and all participating Safeway TicketsWest outlets in Oregon, and available at the Oregon State Fair box office (2330 17th Street NE, Salem). Concert venue: LB Day Comcast Amphitheatre

9:30 p.m.
“DOWN IN THE DIRT” NPRA Rodeo Post Party and Concert with AARON TIPPIN. Come for the rodeo finals and stay for the party and concert, featuring country star Aaron Tippin, “The Hardest Workin’ Man in Country Music.” Tippin has sold over five million records, with five certified gold albums and one certified platinum album. He’s had more than 30 charted singles on the Billboard Hot Country chart, including nine Top 10 singles and three number one hits, such as “That’s As Close As I’ll Get to Loving You,” “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong With the Radio” and “Kiss This.” In the wake of September 11, 2001, Aaron released his most successful crossover single, “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly.”

Tickets: $17 in advance and includes Fair admission; $10 at the door (does not include fair admission); kids ages 5 and under are FREE. To buy tickets in advance go to www.ticketswest.com or call the Oregon State Fair Box Office toll-free at 1-800-833-0011, or (503) 947-3251.

September 6 – PETER CETERA with THE OREGON SYMPHONY. American singer, songwriter, bass guitar player and original member of the rock band Chicago Peter Cetera will join with The Oregon Symphony for one evening, creating a truly unique musical performance.

September 7– REBA MCENTIRE. The Oregon State Fair is proud to present legendary country singer Reba McEntire, the second best selling female country artist of all time.

HOURS:
Sundays-Thursdays: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. (late night areas until 10:30 PM)
Fridays and Saturdays: 10:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. (late night areas until 11:30 p.m.)

GENERAL ADMISSION:
Adults (ages 13 - 64): $8.00/advance,
$10.00/gate
Seniors (ages 65 & over): $4.00/advance, $6.00/gate
Children (ages 6 - 12): $3.00/advance, $5.00/gate
Ages 5 and under: FREE

NEW! Multi-Day Admission Passes:
4-Day Pass: Adult $25, Senior $15, Kids $10
6-Day Pass: Adult $35, Senior $20, Kids $15
11-Day Pass: Adult $50, Senior $30, Kids $20

General admission tickets are available for advance purchase at the Fairgrounds (2330 17 th Street NE, Salem, OR) and at all participating Safeway TicketsWest outlets (www.ticketswest.com; 1-800-992-8499).

For more information about the 2009 Oregon State Fair, visit oregonstatefair.org or call the Fair Information Line Toll-free at 1-800-833-0011.