North Stonington — A number of old favorites will return and new programs will crop up in the 52nd annual Agricultural Fair on Thursday.

Among those returning is "Rosie's Racing Pigs," run by former trapeze artist Roger Defoce, who will race four pigs around a small track on all four days of the fair. This year will also feature "knockerball," which allows attendees to strap into large inflatable transparent balls and try to knock over their opponent in a painless, if less-than-graceful, fall to the ground.

Around 12,000 paying customers attended last year — not including kids under 12, who get in free. The bleachers are still full every year for the animal shows, which shows there's no lack of interest from the local community in the work that goes into raising good livestock, said vice-chairwoman Jody Whipple.

"There's something for everybody: if you're interested you can spend the entire day watching truck pulling," Jody Whipple said.

"There no place you can spend 8 or 9 dollars and be entertained for the whole evening," added volunteer Marvin Shaw, who narrates some of the truck pulls.

This year, the fair will make use of a new 350-foot pull ring for the mechanical and animal pulls, which have gotten "absolutely huge" in recent years, according to Peggy Sue Long, fair secretary.

The ring took "a lot of money" and about a month to install, but fair organizers are optimistic that attendees will be pleased.

For Long and Whipple, who have been attending the fair for 50 years and took over organizing responsibilities for their father after he passed, the fair is an opportunity to connect with old friends from the town and beyond.

"It's like a hometown get-together: you see all your friends that you went to school with and grew up with, and old timers that you haven't seen in many years," Long said.

Some people count on that consistency, said Fair President Mike Riley.

"A lot of people you'll see under the same shade tree, for the same event, every year," he said.

The fair committee works through the winter annually to figure out how to fine-tune different events, and officials attend conventions to try to "get better, not bigger" every year.

One imported idea this year is the farmer-for-a-day program, where kids receive a bucket and can try digging out a potato or carrot, among other farm activities.

It's all about "any little education you can give them," Whipple said. "How many kids have even touched hay before?"

The fair, which takes place at the fairgrounds on Wyassup Road, will hold opening ceremonies on Thursday at 5 p.m. and run through Sunday.

n.lynch@theday.com