Julianne Hough plays Sunday.
ARKANSAS STATE FAIR
11 a.m., Arkansas State Fairgrounds. $4-$8.
It’s all about how you approach the fair. If you’re like me — agoraphobic, don’t pay for parking on principle and can’t stop sneezing within five feet of straw — it’s the ninth circle of Hell. But hey, they’ve got taco-stuffed baked potatoes this year! Other attractions you might care about: a white Bengal tiger show, lumberjacks throwing axes and carving trees with chainsaws, the return of the pig races and the exotic petting zoo (with a camel, kangaroo and zebra), and new, excitingly named rides like Windsurfer and Crazy Chopper. Here are some dates to circle: Oldies act Blood, Sweat and Tears (10/9), the demolition derby and monster truck exhibition (10/10), country star Julianne Hough (10/11), rising country star Jake Owen (10/14), Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm (10/16), the rodeo (10/16 and 10/17) and the fair queen pageant (10/17). Nearly half a million are expected to pass through the gates through Oct. 18. You going to be one of them? Go to ArkansasStateFair.com for more details.