photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Crews at the Douglas County Fairgrounds set up the carnival rides and food stalls. The Douglas County Fair takes place July 30 to Aug. 3.

Crews working in the baking sun to set up the rides and food stands. A building bustling with projects from 4-H students and families. It can only mean one thing: the Douglas County Fair is starting.

While the grounds were pretty sparse on Monday, the Douglas County Fair starts Tuesday and features carnival rides, live music, events, exhibitions and 4-H contests and auctions all through Friday.

Candice Lavalette, the executive administrator for the Douglas County Fair Board, said she is excited for all the events during the week, but especially the live music events that start Tuesday night and continue throughout the week.

The acts include performances from Small Town Grit (7 p.m. Tuesday), Delta Haze (Wednesday at 7 p.m.), Big Rick Soul Band (7 p.m. Thursday) and Scott Heidner and the Nashville Guys (7 p.m. Friday).

Other highlighted events include the “Touch and Truck” event on Tuesday (6-8 p.m.), the Antique Tractor Pull on Thursday (6 p.m.) and two nights of Demolition Derby on Friday and Saturday night (7:30 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday). Tickets for those events goon sale at the fair on Wednesday, July 31 and are also available online at eventbrite.com.

Lavalette said although all the festivities and rides are great for family fun, the “top priority” of the fair is celebrating the students in 4-H.

“That is what the fair is about, what our 4-Hers worked on throughout the year,” Lavalette said.

For a full event schedule for the Douglas County Fair, you can visit www.dgcountyfair.com.