Fair announces changes to entertainment lineup

The St. Joseph County Grange Fair plans to showcase local talent instead of a big-name act as part of its entertainment lineup at the 2016 event.
Fair manager Bill Johnson said the new approach involves a partnership with the county’s eight incorporated communities and their respective summer festivals.
He said the concept involves vocal performances at each of the county’s community festivals as well as from the fair’s Summer Kickoff weekend, June 4 and 5. The top three winners from Summer Kickoff and each of the eight community festivals will assemble as a group of 27 semi-finalists to the fair once it starts Sept. 18.
Then each act will perform once over the course of four consecutive nights and the top three will be selected to a finals event Thursday.
The winning performer stands to win $1,500, Johnson said.