Highlights at the fair today – and what’s coming up tomorrow.

The 2012 State Fair runs through Oct. 21.

General information

Admission: $10 ages 6-54, $7 ages 55 and older, $2 ages 2-5, free for those younger than 2. After 5 p.m., those younger than 16 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian at least 21 years old. No admission after 10 p.m. daily.

Daily gate promotion: Free admission for active and retired military and their dependents (with proper identification) and all Girls Scouts wearing the official Girl Scout tunic, sash or vest and membership pin.

Today

Hours: Gates open at 3 p.m. , buildings 3-10 p.m., Midway hours 3 p.m.-midnight.

Special gate promotion: $1 admission for everyone

Rides: Pay-one-price ride day

Grandstand entertainment: Thompson Square with Colt Ford, 7 p.m., $20

Thursday

Hours: Gates open at 10 a.m., buildings 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Midway hours 11 a.m.-midnight

Lunch at the fair: Between noon-2 p.m., pay $5 at the gate and get a ticket to be exchanged for $5 back when you exit the fair by 2 p.m.

Rides: Pay-one-price ride day

Grandstand entertainment: No show Thursday

Grandstand tickets

Tickets to Grandstand shows are available at the Grandstand ticket booth from 5:30-7 p.m. each show day except Oct. 21, when they will be on sale from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Grandstand tickets also can be purchased online at scstatefair.org, and tickets purchased online include fair admission.

Get cultured

Head to the Cantey Building and check out the works of some of South Carolina’s talented young student artists. Fine arts also will be on display as well as the photography gallery, which you can find upstairs.

Compiled by Bertram Rantin