Gabriel Dehoff, 6, and his brother Mason, 3, feed goats at the petting zoo.
J.D. Pooley | Sentinel-Tribune
Free entertainment has become a big draw for fairgoers this year at the Wood County Fair.
Concerts, a game show, a wood carver, a petting zoo and laser tag are some of the options the fair has offered families who are looking to spend a little less this year.
Gary Gould, who owns Patriots Games Laser Tag, said he thinks the free entertainment is a great way for people to enjoy the fair without having to spend a lot of money. His laser tag game, which is located in the Family Fun Zone, is open to people of all ages.
“It’s just free entertainment, we get anywhere from age 4 to age 80. So something the whole family can do,” he said. “And so the kids love it. The parents like it because it doesn’t cost them anything.”
When Gould first started offering his laser tag game at fairs, he used to charge everyone to play. He said he didn’t like doing that because it reminded him of being a kid who didn’t have enough money to play all the games he wanted. Since then, he has made sure participants don’t have to pay anything.
Laser tag is open daily from noon-8 p.m.
Another free event happening this year is a children’s game show which is located at the Family Fun Zone.
The game show offers kids the opportunity to win prizes. The highest prize available is a $100 Visa gift card. At the end of each show, the child who wins the game gets entered into a drawing for a chance to win a scooter.
Ryan Frankart, who had children participating in the game show, said he really loved the energy the host brought to the show, and he liked that the kids could win lots of different prizes.
“It was very entertaining and the best part, it was free,” Frankart said.
The game show will have three shows each day throughout the week.
For people looking to check out some animals they wouldn’t normally get to see close up — such as emus and camels — the fair has a petting zoo that is open daily.
Brenda Sheline, who was checking out the petting zoo with her grandson, said she thought they had a great selection of animals, especially since it was free.
Along with enjoying the free entertainment, Sheline said she loves that the Wood County Sheriff’s Office is offering free golf cart rides to anyone who wants one.
“I think it’s great that they’re doing something free for us like that,” she said.
Those looking to sit back and relax, can check out wood carver, Dennis Beach, as he hosts multiple daily wood carving shows.
Beach’s show is free to watch and he said he encourages people to check it out as they won’t be able to watch him carve anywhere else. Along with his show, he said he hopes people come to check out the fair and the free entertainment because it’s a great opportunity to see their friends and everything the community has to offer.
“There’s got to be something for everybody out there,” he said.
All of Beach’s carvings will be available to purchase at auction on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
The free entertainment offers families the opportunity to enjoy the fair without having to spend a lot of money and each is open daily.
“It’s just very fun, takes me back to my childhood,” Frankart said. “It’s a fun, friendly, wholesome, great atmosphere.”
