Sights of rides, races and the smells of fried foods will grab hold of Bowling Green yet again as the Bowling Green/Warren County Jaycees prepare to host the annual SOKY Fair.

The event, which has been run by the Jaycees since 1956, is set for July 22-27 and will make for “a heck of a week” SOKY Fair Board Member Jim Maroney said.

While the event will include rides, games and other fair staples, Maroney said the track events the fair offers are a “huge draw item.”

“It’s human nature. If something’s loud and they get to see something crash, the crowd goes fanatic,” he said.

There are track events scheduled for each day of the fair including; Arenacross Racing on July 22; Go-Cart Racing on July 23; Oval Track and Figure Eight Racing on July 24; Truck and Tractor Pull on July 25; MWFA Demolition Derby, Gut ‘N’ Go Demolition Derby, Power Wheel Derby and Lawn Mower Derby on July 26; Motorswap Demolition Derby on July 27.

The fair will also host an array of livestock events including; 4-H Dog Show on July 22; Youth Sheep and Goat Show on July 23; Open (Youth and Adult) Dairy Shows on July 24; Youth Poultry Show and the Young Rabbit/Guinea Pig Show on July 25; Young Alpaca Show on July 26.

Along with the events and shows, Chairman of the Front and Back Gates Mary-John Carmon said the fair will host six food trucks as well as nonfood vendors “all from this area.” It will also have stands with typical fair foods such as corn dogs, pizza and ice cream.

As for rides, Carmon said she does not know exactly how many there will be at the fair, however she said the company providing the rides is anticipating “having at least one or two more small children’s rides than they’ve had in the past.”

Carmon said that the fair is the “Jaycees’ primary fundraiser” and according to the fairgrounds website, “all proceeds are used throughout the year for various charity projects targeted to the youth of south central Kentucky.”

Maroney said the Fair Board expects to have around 21,000-24,000 people attend the fair this year and said that the fair usually has “about a $4 million economic impact on the city.”

Tickets are $15 a person and include all the rides, shows and track events. Children under 36” get in for free. Gates will open at 6 p.m. each day of the fair.