There’s an energizing nip in the air and some much-anticipated fun on the horizon. It’s fair time!

The 96th annual Wash-ington Parish Free Fair takes place this week with opening ceremonies, the fair queen contest and entertainment getting under way Tuesday evening.

Wednesday marks the first full day of fair events, and everything gets started with the parade to the fairgrounds at 10 a.m. in Franklinton.

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The theme for this year’s fair is, “The Fair — A Family Tradition,” so parade participants will bring that idea to life on floats, trucks, wagons, horses and marching groups.

The parade starts on Washington Street at 15th Avenue and rolls, dances and tromps through town to the fairgrounds entrance where the annual ribbon-cutting ceremonies will take place and a big bunch of balloons, in fair colors, will be released to alert people for miles around that the fun has begun.

Many of those people will already be at the fairgrounds as the parade rolls through the gathering throng.

Four full days of free entertainment, education and just plain family fun will then be in process.

This year’s fair will feature entertainers Three Dog Night and Marty Stuart, veteran musical acts well known in their different genres. Music of all types will fill the air around the main stage and Down by the Branch throughout the week, and dancers, school groups and other performers will add variety and style.

Meanwhile, a full-fledged professional rodeo will be kicking up the dust in the arena, senior ladies will promenade in historic Mile Branch Settlement, the Mystery Person will strut and tease, sheep will be shorn and shown, ribbons will be awarded in contests covering a wide range of interest and expertise, and the midway will get packed and partying.

Fair events start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the morning welcome and invocation will take place at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, 10:20 a.m. Thursday and 9:50 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Washington Parish Fair Queen Contest will start at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Senior Ladies Promenade will start at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The Better Baby Contest will take place at 9 a.m. Friday at Franklinton Primary School. The Fair 5-K Run will start at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Tri-State Bulls and Barrels Rodeo will start at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and the Tri-State Rodeo will start at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

As veteran fairgoers well know, that’s just a sampling of what will take place at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton this week.

The only way to really know is to go!