After a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 117th annual Florence County Fair is set for Friday through Sunday at the fairgrounds, 5505 County Road N, just 1/3-mile south of U.S. 2 in Florence.

Billed as a “mini-fair,” it will not be able to have some of the usual family-friendly entertainment and activities that had given the Florence County Fair an almost old-fashioned feel in the past, such as the cricket-spitting contest, a magician, the coin scramble or Senior Day, organizers said.

But many of the signature events the Florence County Fair is known for will return: the garden tractor pull, the mud bog runs, the draft horse pull.

And the fair will have two new events — A Blue Ribbon Apple Pie competition and a Coloring Contest, with cash prizes to be awarded for both.

At the 2019 Florence County Fair, Ben Anderson pulls in the Altered Stock Class with his lawn tractor that has a 15hp Kohler engine.

Exhibits and the apple pies and coloring contest entries were submitted Wednesday, with judging done today. The results will be available when the fair opens at 5 p.m. Friday. All of the pie entries will be available for purchase out of Lydia’s Fair Kitchen to help cover the cost of the prize money.

Also new this year is a Craft and Art Show from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday on the soccer field at the fair park.

The fair will feature a silent auction as well on Friday and Saturday, with winning items being available for pick up Sunday.

Admission to the fair is $10 per person for ages 12 and older, and is good for the entire fair weekend. Admission for seniors ages 65 and older and fair exhibitors ages 12 and older is $5. Ages 11 and younger are admitted free. Sunday-only admission is $5 per person.

The schedule for the fair includes —

FRIDAY

— 4:30 to 7 p.m.: Bingo in the small pavilion.

— 4:30 to 8 p.m.: The Rambo K-9 Unit Fish Fry Fundraiser for the Florence County Sheriff’s Department will have deputies serving plates of “Justy’s” secret recipe fried cod, coleslaw, bread and a choice of french fries, potato salad or mac and cheese. Cost will be $12 for adults and $6 for ages 10 and younger. Fair admission is required to order from the fish fry. All proceeds raised from the sale will go to the K-9 fund. Rambo will do a demonstration at 6 p.m.

— 5 to 7 p.m.: Exhibit displays open to the public.

— 5 p.m.: Flag raising.

— 5 p.m.: Garden Tractor Pull, featuring the U.P. Garden Tractor Pullers. Participants come from Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, with several local pullers from Aurora, Homestead and Niagara expected to compete. The U.P. Garden tractor pullers event starts out with the strictly stock tractors and goes up through Altered Stock, Pro-Stock, Modified, Super Modified, Outlaw and ends with Super Outlaw. This event includes lawn tractors modified to include truck and motorcycle engines.

— 7 to 11 p.m. Live music by band Nolium.

SATURDAY

— 7 to 10:30 a.m.: Mud Bog registration.

— 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Exhibit displays open to the public.

— 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Art and Craft Fair and Flea Market.

— Noon: Mud begins to fly at the Mud Bog.

— 1 to 4 p.m.: Vickie’s Karaoke.

— 4 to 7 p.m.: Brian Nowicki acoustic performance.

— 7 to 11 p.m.: Live music by band Next Myle.

SUNDAY

— 9 a.m. to noon: Classic Car and Motorcycle Show registration.

— 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Exhibit displays open to the public.

— Noon to 3 p.m.: Music by Lovin’ Country.

— 2 p.m.: Classic Car and Motorcycle Show awards.

— 3 p.m.: Draft Horse Pull.

— 4 p.m.: Flag lowering.

— 4 p.m.: Exhibits released.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, go to the Florence County Fair online at www.florencecountyfair.com, call the fair at 906-282-9153 or e-mail the fair at florencecountyfair@hotmail.com.