Contocook, New Hampshire hosts the state fair each year as a Labor Day weekend tradition from Aug 31st to Sept. 4th and you'll find that make it an annual tradition of your own is fun and easy. The New Hampshire State Fair is also known as the Hopkinton State Fair so do remember not to get too confused if you find directions for this fair when you are actually looking for a route to the other fair, since they are one and the same.

Free entertainment at the fair often includes death defying motorbike shows held during the first couple of days of the fair. Sometimes you may also find stunt bike shows with similar thrills but performed on a bicycle, check it out. This is an excellent show to catch for dare devil tricks such as balancing on a high wire and because its included in your general admission. Some Tractor Pulls at the fair will be free and some won't. You'll need to pay close attention to the fair's program in order to find which pulls cost extra or risk being disappointed by missing a show.

Some other interesting shows to be found at the fair include a Rock Fountain Carving Show where you can literally watch artists carve a water fountain from rock before your eyes and Mounted Shooting Shows which are a mix of the old west and cavalry with barrel racing, historical reenactments and of course sharp shooting.

Those who like Horse and Oxen Pulls should wander over to the Durgin Pulling Arena. All of the events in this arena are free don't worry about the arena filling up too quickly because it's got 2,000 seats waiting for fairgoers to fill them. Other typical animal shows can be found in the Hood Arena where you can find Working Steer Shows, Sheep Shows, Dairy Shows, Dairy Goat Shows, and 4-H Shows.

The state fair is about 15 to 20 minutes from Concord and about 90 minutes from Boston and parking is available at the fairgrounds for a minimal price.