The 62nd annual Central Alabama Fair starts this week.

Lions Fair Park, located at 2401 West Dallas Avenue, will once again be the location for the five-day event.

The dates for this year’s fair will be Tuesday, Oct. 2 through Saturday, Oct. 6.

The family-friendly event will open each night during the week at different times.

Gates will open on Tuesday at 5:20 p.m., Wednesday at 4 p.m., Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday.

John Haskell, fair coordinator, said without the Monday night addition this year he hopes the attendance is still good.

“We hope we have a good turn out,” he said. “They are gonna set up a little differently than they have been for the last 40 or 50 years. It’s gonna be a new look. We just hope everyone comes out and supports it.”

Each night, the gate entry fee is $5 and free for children under 36 inches.

Wristbands are $20 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. There will be no wristbands for sale Thursday and Friday nights.

On Wednesday, guests in grades first-twelfth-grade can enter for free if they bring a can good to donate to the local food pantry.

In addition to the fair fun, there is also a Sing-Off on Thursday, beginning at 7 p.m. under the pavilion.

The Sing-Off will be hosted by Dixie Country 98.5 100.1. Prizes are as follows: first place $400, second place $200 and third place $100.

Saturday, the finale, will consist of the Lions Club Family Day and the Central Alabama Fair Beauty Pageants.

Lions Club Family Day will be 1- 5 p.m. and wristbands will be sold during that same time.

There are three different pageants, each with its own age requirements.

Tiny Miss Contest, for 3-5-year-olds, will begin at 2 p.m.

Little Miss Contest, for 6-8-year-olds, will begin at 4 p.m.

Miss Central Alabama, for 15-19-year-olds, will begin at 6 p.m.