The Verde Valley Fair will return to the Verde Valley Fairgrounds in Cottonwood from Wednesday, April 30, through Sunday, May 4.

■ Gates will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, for livestock shows and arts and crafts, with rides available from 4 to 10:30 p.m. The gate will close at 10 p.m. Wednesday will be Senior Citizen Day and all seniors over age 60 will receive free admission.

■ Gates will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, with rides available from noon to 10:30 p.m. The gate will close at 10 p.m. Thursday is Armed Forces Day, offering free admission for those with a current military ID. It is also Buddy Night: Attendees who buy one wristband between 2 and 7 p.m. can get the second wristband at half price. The “buddy” must be present at the time of purchase.

■ Gates will open at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 2, with rides available from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The gate will close at 11 p.m. Cottonwood-area schools will be closed on Friday so students can attend the fair.

■ Gates will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, with rides available from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The gate will close at 11 p.m.

■ Gates will open at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 4, with rides available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gate will close at 4 p.m. On Sunday Fun Day, for $20 at the ticket booth, attendees can receive entry into the fair and a ride pass when purchased between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for all rides except Freak Out, which requires a wristband and three additional tokens.

Admission is $5 on Wednesday and $10 for Thursday to Sunday. Children 5 and younger are admitted free.

Unlimited ride wristbands are $35 in advance and $45 at the gate. Advance discount wristbands available are at Safeway and Food City in Cottonwood and Bashas’ in Sedona and Camp Verde.

60th Anniversary

Don Goddard, Chuck Mabery, Everett Brown, Pat Patterson, Mickey Ryan, Ross Rhoton and Carlton Camp, who was a Future Farmers of America advisor at what is now Mingus Union High School, brought 4-H members into the FFA Calf Sale in downtown in the Old Town baseball field behind the Cottonwood Civic Center in 1965 so they could avoid the long trip to Prescott. The American Legion Hall was used for 4-H exhibits, and the Civic Center was used for other exhibits. Doc Pardee was the fair’s auctioneer. The group held a barbecue that featured George Thomas making biscuits in Dutch ovens.

The fair moved to what is now the fairgrounds in 1968 after Ersel Garrison purchased land from the Verde Land and Development Co. Crews built the Blue Exhibit Barn, now known as the Gyberg Barn, on the site.