OXFORD – Time to perfect the family apple pie recipe and dig out the cowboy hat.

The Oxford County Agricultural Fair starts Wednesday, Sept. 13, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 16.

This year’s fair will feature cowboys, live bull riding, a mechanical bull, horse racing and lots of exhibitions, fair President Suzanne Grover said.

On Friday, fair officials and workers milled around the fairgrounds, hanging signs, setting up exhibitions and touching up paint.

Fairgrounds Vice President Caldwell Jackson walked over to the half-mile horse racing track, where the former Ledgewood Motel had been relocated. Now the building is used as an undercover viewing area for the track. Next year, it will also be a betting area, Jackson said.

Inside Expo 1, Ann Bellwood worked with people to set up the different displays. Also Elaine Emery prepared for the annual quilt square contest.

“We put (the quilt) together through the winter, then raffle it off,” Emery said.

Just outside the exhibition halls, a new bleacher structure overlooks a field that will be used for bull riding. With this new structure, there is seating for 740 people, Jackson said.

Also during the fair, people can put their singing voices to test during the Oxford Fair Idol contest. The winner gets $500 and a “gig” at The Silver Spur in Mechanic Falls.

There are lots of activities planned for kids, including rides and a pig scramble.

For senior citizens there is a dinner planned, as well as other activities, Jackson said.

Sheriff Lloyd “Skip” Herrick will be the grand marshal of the parade that kicks off Saturday.

Overall, Jackson said he hopes to have about 40,000 attendees.

For the schedule and more information about the Oxford County Fair, visit www.oxfordcountyfair.com.