The 2013 edition of the Pike County Fair is only days away, Oct. 1-5, and it promises to be one of the best ever.

Homer Homann, president of the sponsoring Troy Shrine Club, realizes that “the best ever” is usually cliché but not in this case, not for this year’s county fair.

“This will be a ‘best ever’ Pike County Fair because our new promoter, Modern Midway, is committed to making it the best,” Homann said. “Modern Midway is bringing 30 fun and thrilling rides including at 60-foot Ferris Wheel that you can see for miles around. And, they are bringing, special for us, the Ashton Family, which is a seventh and eighth generation performance group from Australia.”

Homann said the Ashton Family circus has toured the United States and Europe.

“They have also been on Jay Leno, David Letterman, Kathy and Regis and have performed with Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage,” Homann said. “They will perform at the Pike County Fair two times each night with their aerial act, their horse act and their showtime act. This is the first time that we’ve had this kind of performance at the county fair and we are very excited to offer the Ashton Family at no additional gate charge.”

Tickets for the Pike County Fair are $6 for adults, $4 for ages 6 through 11 and children five and under are admitted free.

Homann said the best ticket value for rides is the armbands that are being pre-sold for $15 at the Troy Bank and Trust main office on Highway 231 in Troy, the Gift and Thrift Consignment Shop in downtown Brundidge and the Shrine Club at the Pike County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

At the gate the armbands will be $20.

“We are offering a special deal on armbands for Wednesday night,” Homann said.

“Troy B&T, Gift and Thrift and the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 231 have free tickets that will allow ticket holders to purchase armbands on Wednesday at two for $20. That’s two armbands for $10 each and that’s real good deal. But it’s for Wednesday night only.”

Homann said armbands purchased at the pre-sale and regular prices are good for any night at the Pike County Fair.

In addition, to the midway, the Pike County Fair has displays of crafts, artwork, baked goods and canned goods.

“For anyone planning to enter items for judging, it is important to remember that the items have to be delivered to the Pike County Fairgrounds from 1 until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday,” Homann said. “No entries will be accepted after these times. Judging will take place on Monday.”

The Pike County Fair opens Tuesday night at the Pike County Fairgrounds on Highway 231 between Troy and Brundidge and runs through Saturday. Gates open nightly at 6 p.m.