It is common for people to look to the solstices to signal the changing of seasons. But for the last 156 years in the Orangeville area, autumn unofficially arrives with the Orangeville Fall Fair, which will be staged from Friday to Monday at the Orangeville Fairgrounds on Mono’s 5 Sideroad.

Admission, for adults, is $6 Friday and Monday, and $10 Saturday and Sunday. Ages 13- 18 admission is $4 and $6 respectively. Kids under 12 get in for free on Friday and Monday, and pay $2 Saturday and Sunday. For seniors, the charge is $6 all weekend.

The gates open at 6:30 p.m. Friday and visitors will be treated to the Ambassadors Competition, the Horse Pull Competition and the Dufferin- Wellington Holstein Show.

All day Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the midway will be in full swing, and the popular antique power equipment display will also be taking place, as will the pony rides and petting zoo.

Saturday and Sunday will feature monster truck rides, the kiddies pedal tractor pull and Keith Hunter’s “Touch of Magic” show.

Saturday and Sunday nights will see the FMX Show and Monster Truck Crush. On Saturday at 6:30 p.m, it all crashes down with the Demolition Derby and Rollover.

Of course, no fall fair would be complete without the livestock events schedule. The class of area cattle – from heifers to steers – will be on display from Friday to Sunday. The Hunter Horse show and the Dairy Goat Show take place on Monday.

The entertainment venue kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday with Dirty Dishes taking to the stage, followed by Two of a Kind at noon, Crystal Gage at 1 p.m. and the River Road Cloggers at 2 p.m. All three acts will return for an encore performance in the afternoon and will also be back on stage Sunday.

Kristen Scott will be on stage Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m.

At noon of Monday, the stars will shine in a talent show.

The schedule is subject to change due to inclement weather and other factors beyond the control of the Orangeville Agricultural Society. (As of Wednesday, the forecast was for seasonal temperatures Friday, with Saturday cool and damp and the sun returning Sunday and Monday with ideal temperatures.)

The agricultural society and First Student Canada will be providing free hourly shuttle service to the fair using wheelchair accessible vehicles. It will operate on an hourly basis and the approximate time to complete the circuit en route to the fairgrounds is 45 minutes.

With departures on the hour from Blind Line and St. Andrew Drive Friday from 6 to 11 p.m, Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m. To 11 p.m. and Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., buses will make municipal transit stops on a route via No Frills on C Line, Every Kids Park on Lawrence Ave., Bythia Street, the GO station on Townline, looping on Purple Hill via Oakridge Dr. and Clarke St. before heading north to Idlewyld Park and the Orangeville Mall, arriving at the fairgrounds at 40 minutes after the hour. First Student will provide wheelchair accessible bus. Those requiring this assistance are asked to contact First Student at 519-941-2582 no later than noon on Friday to make arrangements for a pickup time.

For event times and other information, visit www. orangevillefairgrounds.ca