DURHAM, CT — Durham and Middlefield are about to get loud, and in the best way. The 106th Durham Fair rolls into town for its four-day run, bringing tribute bands, a country headliner and every kind of fair food imaginable, while just down the road in Middlefield, an Americana troubadour is set to close out the workweek with a low-key Friday night set. Whether the plan is a full day on the midway or a quieter evening with a drink in hand, this corner of the Connecticut River valley has the weekend covered. Here's what's on:
- The 106th Annual Durham Fair — Thursday, Sept. 24, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 25, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Connecticut's largest agricultural fair returns with four stages of live entertainment, thousands of exhibits, a midway, demolition derby, monster trucks and the classic horse and oxen pulls. Thursday admission is $10 for all ages; Friday through Sunday runs $20 for adults and $10 for seniors 65 and over, with active military and children 11 and under free. Venue: Durham Fair, 24 Townhouse Road, Durham.
- Queen Nation — A Tribute to the Music of Queen — Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. on the Durham Fair Main Stage. One of the fair's two headline concerts, bringing the full theatrics of a Queen show to the fairgrounds. Venue: Durham Fair, 24 Townhouse Road, Durham.
- Tyler Hubbard — Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. on the Durham Fair Main Stage. The country hitmaker and former Florida Georgia Line frontman headlines the fair's second big concert night. Venue: Durham Fair, 24 Townhouse Road, Durham.
- Friday Night Live Music Series Featuring Shawn Taylor — Friday, Sept. 25, 6 to 9 p.m. Self-described "wandering roots troubadour" Shawn Taylor brings his Americana sound, spanning Appalachian folk to gritty rock, to a low-key Friday night set away from the fair crowds. Venue: 1741 Pub & Grill, 72 Lyman Rd, Middlefield.
Between the Durham Fair's four days of tribute bands, a country headliner and classic agricultural spectacle, and a quieter Americana set on the Middlefield side of town, there's a version of this weekend for both the midway crowd and the ones who'd rather skip the lines. Grab a fair map or a barstool and get out there.
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