
Elena Wise of Townsend takes "Molly" out for some early Tuesday morning exercise during the 96th annual Delaware State Fair.

Declan West, 7 of Milton and his sister Ainsley West, 9, were out bright and early Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. to watch the Beef Cattle Show inside Quillen Arena.

The Delaware State Fair has a magic all to its own at night.

When you go to the Delaware State Fair, you don't know what you'll come home with.

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The brutal Tuesday heat was tough on farm workers like Bryan Miles of Felton

Early morning summer sun shines on antique tractors Tuesday morning in the Farm Machinery Lot.

The giant Ferris wheel Saturday night at the Delaware State Fair.

Jonathan Tucker, 1 of Bridgeville says hello to a baby calf Saturday evening during the 96th annual Delaware State Fair

Jesse Foster of Ft. Washington, MD enjoys a flame broiled giant turkey leg Saturday evening.

Even two-year-old Gia Matos of Milford knows that corn dogs are a Delaware State Fair staple.

Dirk Hitch of Laurel helps himself to someone else's chocolate ice cream cone during a fun night Saturday in Harrington.

Folks pour into Harrington Saturday evening for the 96th annual Delaware State Fair.

Janiyah Strickland, 4 of Dover wears face paint as she strikes a pose on the Midway Saturday evening.

Performing on oil drums, plastic tubes, milk cans and various unusual objects, the group Junk Rock laid down the beat at the Delaware State Fair Saturday evening.

Chuck Ivins of Harrington waves to the camera as he walks into the fair Saturday evening with Brenda Wooten of Dover.

Singing a variety of tunes, Jeff Staus of Baltimore, MD, performs as part of a duo with Adam Knaus of Philadelphia, PA, as Cutting Edge Dueling Pianos Saturday evening inside the Entertainment Tent.

Maili Manu, 8, made the trip to Harrington with her family all the way from Denver, CO, Saturday evening to hide in the daises at the Delaware State Fair.

Jonathan Gemmill and Serenity Sells, 3, of Camden ride the Super Slide Saturday evening.

Tristan Goodwin, 17 of Delmar, poses Saturday evening in front of one of Little Richard's food stands.

Will Clough of Viola was fairly worn out Saturday evening after a fun-filled day at the Delaware State Fair.

Marching with Smyrna's Citizen's Hose Band, Marvin Knox of Smyrna struts his stuff as he carries his trombone Saturday evening during the nightly parade at the fair.

Diana Jones of Rehoboth Beach waves to parade watchers as she rides in a horse-drawn carriage with husband David Saturday evening during the nightly Delaware State Fair Parade.

Back again at the Delaware State Fair, Twiggs the Giraffe happily takes a carrot from Carol Dean of Bridgeville Saturday afternoon.

Alaina Judd, 10 of Milford, creates a floral masterpiece during the Junior Flower Arranging Contest inside the Exhibit Hall early Saturday morning at the Delaware State Fair.

Hungry fair goers line up for the tasty breakfast vittles on hand at the Harrington Moose stand Saturday morning.

Whitney Loftus of Lincoln catches forty winks inside the Schabinger Pavilion Saturday afternoon.

Gracie Clark, 7 of Dover rides the merry-go-round Saturday during her fun-filled day at the Fair.

Delaware Farm Bureau public relations coordinator Caroline Foltz of Dover gives a demonstration on how to plant lettuce seeds Saturday outside the bureau's Ag Lab parked inside the Delaware State Fair.

Sarah Karjewski, 11 of Laurel could not contain her joy Saturday as she was extremely happy to be in Harrington for the 96th annual Delaware State Fair.

Don Blow and Michele Rumsey, both of Smyrna, spent their Saturday at the 96th annual Delaware State Fair having a good ole time.

Wyatt McGee, 3 of Laurel sits atop one of the antique tractors on display Saturday morning at the 96th annual Delaware State Fair.

Marshall Dodd, 8 of Ridgley, MD was one of 71 youngsters - a Delaware State Fair record - to enter this year's Lego Building Contest Saturday afternoon.

Owen Klein, 3 of Middletown, met a friend at the 96th annual Delaware State Fair Friday evening.

The Grange was packed Friday night full of hungry fair goers who know good down home country food when they taste it.

Amanda Doran of Philadelphia takes a souvenir shot of her children, from left, Sydney, 5; Lillian, 8 and Liam, 3, Friday evening inside the Schabinger Pavilion.

Allison Esterson, 8 of Ridgley, MD carries an enormous stuffed animal that she won on the Midway Friday afternoon at the Delaware State Fair.

Midway carnival games worker Daniel Ketchham of Oley, PA balances a basketball on his fingertips as he beckons Delaware State Fair goers to try their luck.

Folks line up ready to buy their admission tickets to the 96th annual Delaware State Fair Friday afternoon.

Ron and Susan Boucher of Bristol, CT enjoy an ear of tasty sweet corn as they stand in the shade outside of the Exhibit Hall Friday.

Delaware State Fair performer Kid Davie dumps a cup of pretend popcorn onto the head of Cami Kovack, 3 of Westville, NJ Friday.

Amberlynn Elkey, 10 of Milford wants ALL the fire balls inside the Candy Castle Friday afternoon at the Delaware State Fair.

Eva Waligorski, 6 of Salisbury, MD and pal Elle Trinidad, 8 of Cherry Hill, NJ wear painted faces Friday as they enjoy the Delaware State Fair - An American Classic.

Lacey Lynn Lafferty, 10 of Laurel was overjoyed that the Delaware State Fair is back for its 96th year

Liam Keen, 14 of Smyrna shines up one of the many huge John Deere tractors on display before the doors open at noon Thursday.

Heather Dotson of Camden fills up a wheelbarrow full of shavings to prepare for the arrival of her animals Thursday during Opening Day

Colton Larsen, 3 of Milford throws his head back and smiles toward the sun after receiving a brand new cowboy hat to wear Thursday afternoon during Opening Day at the Delaware State Fair.

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In a few short days, these stands will be full of folks cheering on those famous racin' Hollywood Pigs

Trina Stump of Dover, right, and Jane Long of Delmar had a very difficult task to perfrom on Tuesday - judging homemade decorated cupcake entries at the Delaware State Fair Tuesday.

Rosemary Zimmerman of Harrington, right, and Samantha Kirk, 19 of Laurel judge bar cookies entries inside the Dover Building Tuesday morning at the Delaware State Fair.

Local professional photographers Mike Baker of Magnolia and Dolores Michaels of Harrington judge photography entries inside the Dover Building Tuesday.

From right, Dottie Dempsey of Cheswold spent her Tuesday judging peanut butter fudge with Rachel Taylor of Marydel and her daughter Mary.

Mary Ann Stumpf of Felton, left, and Donna Phelps of Bowers Beach are veterans at judging cross-stitching and needlepoint entries.

Brian Pennington of Greenwood hangs a giant Delaware flag from the ceiling of the Schabringer Pavilion Tuesday morning as hundreds of folks prepare the 96th Delaware State Fair in Harrington for Thursday afternoon's big opening day.

Wade Shows workers move a mini-helicopter which is part of one the many rides along the Midway for children of all ages to enjoy in Harrington.

This Wade Shows employee had a big job ahead of him checking hundreds of colorful lights on one of the rides at the Delaware State Fair Tuesday morning.

Wade Shows workers build the merry-go-round Tuesday morning.

Workers work hard on erecting the World's Smallest Horse exhibit Tuesday.

Wade Shows workers were up at 8 a.m. Tuesday washing tents and awnings getting things ready for Thursday's opening day.

The track is laid for one of the children's rides along the Midway.

Colorful bumper cars wait to be unloaded Tuesday afternoon.

Mike Brady of Baltimore, MD, right, and Raven Homan of Port Aransas, TX set up the framework for the Candy Castle Tuesday morning.

A Wade Shows worker gets to work on one of the many rides set up Tuesday afternoon in Harrington.

Workers toil in Tuesday's heat creating a funhouse.
Photos by Dave Chambers
HARRINGTON — The 96th annual Delaware State Fair is in full swing until Aug. 1. See our updated photos from the Downstate tradition.