“There are a whole host of people with passions who are willing to talk about and share, or demonstrate, and in some cases create an interactive activity for people,” said Jim Erickson, Deschutes County Fair director of entertainment.

The talent scheduled for the 99th Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo is abundant. The list of performers ranges from top-billed musical acts to 15-foot-tall acrobats—on stilts, of course. Some performances will take place under the bright main-stage lights; others will move freely throughout the fairgrounds.

Despite the level of talent, Erickson and other fair directors decided that this year’s event needed something—not necessarily more punch, but something to tie it all together. After much consideration and planning, the Deschutes Market Circle was born.

The Deschutes Market Circle consists of three sections and is situated in such a way that they all work cohesively. This centrally located area of the fairgrounds will include Craft Town, Deschutes Market Stage, and Maker’s Way: three dynamic operations, all working synergistically to offer fairgoers the most interactive entertainment possible.

Craft Town, an area that will host food and beverage vendors, is the most straightforward of the three. The new layout has situated Craft Town in close proximity to the Deschutes Market Stage so that attendees will be able to enjoy an assortment of refreshments alongside the onstage entertainment.

The layout in previous years has required long commutes from food vendors to shade and entertainment areas. In 2018, Deschutes Market Stage, directly across from Craft Town, will be equipped with two massive tented areas, picnic tables, and enough chairs for the gathering crowds. Not only will guests get to enjoy their coveted fair food, they will be entertained while doing so.

Erickson is particularly excited about the Deschutes Market Stage family dances, or sock hops, which will be held each night, Wednesday through Saturday, from 8 to 10 pm.

“We’re trying to connect back to the old Hangar Hop, which was a Chamber of Commerce event. It was a wonderful party for the whole family. Families would show up—grandparents all the way down to great-grandchildren, all ages—and it was a great party for everyone. And what we’re trying to do is re-create that, every night of the fair,” said Erickson.

These two-hour parties will feature themed music. Disco and 1980s music will be featured on Wednesday, greatest hits of rock and roll on Thursday, country music on Friday, and 1950s music on Saturday. Hosted by a live DJ, the family dances will also involve costume contests, music trivia, and of course dance contests, with plenty of prizes.

Throughout the day, Deschutes Market Stage will also be the platform for a wide variety of special entertainment, including live music, performers on stilts, comedy acts, and even ventriloquists. And some of the most popu-lar crowd participation events formerly located on The Bulletin’s Family Fun Zone stage will move here, including the watermelon and pie eating contests, cake walk, and rooster crowing contest.

Participation, interaction, and all of the prizes connected with those activities will be available both in person and digitally. Elyse West, the fair marketing assistant, has put together several opportunities for interaction on the social media side of things. While enjoying the county fair experience, fairgoers can also get involved in themed online photo contests.

Winners will not only earn prizes but will also be featured across the Deschutes County Fair & Expo social media. Fair-goers can also download the new fair app, which offers a full schedule of events, maps, and a chance to win tickets to next year’s fair!

The third and final portion of Des-chutes Market Circle is called Maker’s Way. Maker’s Way consists of “three tented areas where a variety of craftsmen, artists, and traditional cultural heritage groups will work and interact with fairgoers,” said Erickson.

Every day between 1 and 7 pm, Maker’s Way will host a number of talented individuals and groups. Lee Barker, a well-known woodworker, craftsman, and artist, will be constructing a massive sculpture with the help of crowd participation. The final piece of art will be unveiled at 6 pm on Saturday.

The Grizzly Mountain Long Rifles are scheduled in Maker’s Way, where they will demonstrate what life was like in the 1840s, using traditional tents, fire-making, ax and knife throwing, and other skills of the time. Other highly interactive ventures such as tie-dying stations, alpaca wool venues, and quilt-making will bring a well-rounded and wonderfully artistic edge to Maker’s Way.

According to Erickson, the reason behind the new Deschutes Market Circle layout is mainly cohesion. Situating Craft Town, Deschutes Market Stage, and Maker’s Way in close proximity allows fairgoers the perfect experience of food, entertainment, and interaction. Deschutes Market Circle removes the need to walk long distances for sustenance and shade, incorporates community feeling, and leaves people and venues less isolated than in previous years.

With so many events, activities, and performances going on simultaneously, it’s important for the fairground layout to add to the fun rather than present any obstacle. Deschutes Market Circle will contribute enormously to that goal and make the 2018 Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo that much more magical.