NORTH STONINGTON, Conn. –– Southern New England’s country fair season begins Thursday with the opening of the 45th annual North Stonington Agricultural Fair (northstoningtonfair.com).

The event, at the town’s fairgrounds on Wyassup Road, will run through Sunday.

The fair’s queen and her court will be selected Thursday at 8 p.m.

Throughout the event, there will be livestock, baking and craft contests. Pulling contests will include tractors, antique tractors, oxen, horses, ponies and lawn mowers. Junior and senior pie-eating contests are scheduled to start Saturday at noon.

A ham and bean supper is scheduled Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Grange Hall.

Livestock will be on display throughout the event.

On stage, performers will include hypnotist and comedian Jim Spinnato, Thursday at 7 and 9 p.m.; Chad Burdick, Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Steve Azar, Friday at 8 p.m.; Ocean State Revival, Saturday at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m.; Shady Creek, Saturday at 4 and 6 p.m.; and Hard Luck Aces, Sunday at noon and 3 p.m.

Gates are scheduled to open Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 a.m., and Sunday at 9 a.m.

Tickets are $7; free for children younger than 12.

To get there from Route 95 southbound, take exit 92. At the end of exit ramp, go straight through the traffic light and across Route 49 onto Route 617 (industrial service road). At the next traffic light (the end of route 617), turn right onto Route 2. Proceed to and through the traffic rotary, staying on Route 2. At the first traffic light past the rotary, turn right onto Rocky Hollow Road, which quickly joins Wyassup Road in North Stonington Village. The fairgrounds are just past the village on the left.

—Tom Meade