Interstate Fair Mooving Event Contest To Name This Year’S Mascot - A Holstein

Aliens will land, sharks will swim and pigs will race at this year’s Spokane Interstate Fair.

And that’s just part of the entertainment that will be available at this year’s event, county officials announced Wednesday.

“The Mooollennium Fair” also will offer a variety of musical performers, from country music artist Toby Keith to rock ‘n’ roll oldies group The Kingsmen, who recorded the high school marching band standard, “Louie, Louie.”

The fair will run from Sept. 8 through Sept. 17.

This year’s mascot is a Holstein. A contest will be held later this summer to name the cow.

“We intend to have a wonderful time this year,” said Vicki Redlin, chairwoman of the county’s Fair & Expo Center Advisory Board.

Fair officials also hope to boost attendance, which slipped to 230,000 last year, down about 25,000 from 1998.

The decrease was blamed in part on a smoking ban imposed by county commissioners just before last year’s event, a prohibition that was lifted after a few days when attendance numbers were down.

Others blamed the sagging numbers on the lack of a big-name performer.

Fair officials believe Keith will fill the bill this year. His song, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” is a country classic, and he currently is at the top of the charts with his new tune, “How Do You Like Me Now?”

If Keith doesn’t bring in the crowds, organizers hope two animal acts - one new, one old - will.

The new attraction is called “Squalus,” and features daredevil divers Marco and Philip Peters swimming in a 9,000-gallon tank with sharks. Squalus is the Latin word for sharks.

The Peters have “entertained thousands over the years at the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus,” according to a fair statement.

And the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs will make an encore performance. The steeplechasing porkers played to standing-room-only crowds last year.

Then there’s the newest ride from Butler Amusements, which is providing the carnival venue.

Called Intruder 2000, the ride is a 28-foot, 12-sided rotating deck that will carry 24 thrill-seekers into the air for an encounter with a 17-foot-tall space alien.

“The adventure continues from there, as they must defend their ship while hurtling through space,” Butler officials said in a statement.

Fair officials also are offering several discounts to build attendance.

Opening day will be free for people under 12 or over 64. Everyone else will pay $4, which is three bucks less than the adult general admission for the rest of the fair.

In addition, people will be able to buy a family bargain pack for $20. A $58 value, it includes daily admissions for two adults and four children and coupons for food and carnival rides.

Fairgoers can get other discounts by buying tickets in advance. Advance tickets are currently available at the Fair & Expo Center at Broadway and Havana and at Big R on East Trent.

Beginning Aug. 1, advance tickets also will be sold at the county commissioners office, local Safeway stores, G&B Select-a-Seat, Corral West stores, Village Supply Store, Longhorn Barbecue restaurants and the West Plains Feed Store.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HELP WANTED

Spokane County needs to hire more than 300 people to work this year’s Interstate Fair. Jobs include ticket takers, cashiers, barn cleaners, clerks and laborers. County officials will accept applications only during two job fairs. The first is Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The second is Wednesday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Both will be held at the fairgrounds. For more information, call 477-1766 or 477-5750.