The 114th annual Hamburg Fair is offering something new this year: more music, with a series of concerts and a celebrated headliner in Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez.

In addition to "Beehive Queen" Ohlman, whose is the lead vocalist for the "Saturday Night Live" band, the lineup boasts lots of young local talent. And the shows will benefit from an arena stage, where there'll be room for fans who want to sit and listen and for those who are inspired to jump up and dance.

The fair joined forces to create this expanded music programming with the MusicNow Foundation, an Old Lyme nonprofit that "believes in the power of music in the lives of our youth and young adults bridging gaps and generational years."

The Hamburg Fair folks are joining in on that idea by encouraging and nurturing the arts on a grassroots level. Young local musicians can earn experience, interact with professionals, and get the chance to play for new audiences at the fair.

After Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez set the tone for the weekend with their 7:30 p.m. Friday performance, the fair's concerts move on to feature the Braiden Sunshine Band at 9:15 p.m. Friday; Nightingales' Youth Showcase of local talent under the age of 25 at 1 p.m. Saturday; The Brazen Youth, featuring Charlie Dahlke and Nick Lussier, whose new release climbed into iTunes' top 200, at 5 p.m. Saturday; The Rivergods and then Preston Frantz Hellbent and Heartbreakin' at 8 p.m. Saturday; and, on Sunday, the swing sounds of Modern Riffs at noon and the blues-jazz-originals amalgam of Ramblin' Dan Stevens and the Mellow Men at 1 p.m.

The fair, which is sponsored by The Lyme Grange Fair Association, promises all of its traditional favorites, too, including carnival rides, kids' games and agricultural exhibits.

Hamburg Fair, Fri.-Sun., Fairgrounds, Route 156, Lyme; 5-11 p.m. Fri. and gates open at 9 a.m. Sat. and Sun.; $5, free for kids up to 12, $3 for active service members and seniors; hamburgfair.org.