*Welcome to July, when state and county fair season kicks into high gear.

HAT CITY BLUES BAND will be playing at the 37th Annual Connecticut Agricultural Fair during the weekend’s “Cruise Night” on Friday, July 23. The fair will be taking place the weekend of July 25 at Goshen Fairgrounds, on Route

Showtime for Hat City Blues is 6 pm, but the fair will be up and running at 10 am that morning so there’s plenty of time to explore the grounds before the performance. The fair will be closing at 9 pm Friday. Hours for the rest of the weekend – which will encompass performances by MOOD RING (featuring Lance and Larry Hoppen from ORLEANS) and ROBBIE DUPREE – are 8 am to 9 pm on Saturday and 9 am to 7 pm on Sunday.

Hat City Blues is also scheduled to perform on opening night at Kent Fireman’s Fair, which runs Friday through Sunday, August 27-29.

Further into country fair season, local favorites MARY BETH SIPPIN & GOLDRUSH (who recently performed the first public concert at The Pleasance), will be at Orange Country Fair on September 18, at Guilford Fair for two shows on September 19, and then at Harwington Fair on October 3.

*One of my favorites, SOL DOG, returns next weekend to The Georgetown Saloon. The guys will be headlining on Friday, July 9.

Until next week I’ll be seeing you… on the road.

Questions and comments should be sent to Shannon Hicks c/o The Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470, or shannon@thebee.com, or call the office at 426-3141.

Shows listed at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

JULY 2-3 — America at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville;

July 3 — Dr Mudd and The Gist at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Max Creek at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Stan Sutton opening (all ages);

July 5 — Sting and Annie Lennox at Mohegan Sun Arena;

July 6 — Creedence Clearwater Revisted at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Explorations at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

July 7 — Terri Clark at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

July 9 — Sol Dog at The Georgetown Saloon;

July 10 — OzzFest 2004 at The Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford, with Black Sabbath headlining, also Judas Priest, Slayer, Slipknot, et al; Rufus Wainwright, Ben Folds and Guster at the Oakdale Theatre; Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Toad’s Place; Don Henley at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Curtis T & The Bernadettes at The Georgetown Saloon;

July 11 — Kenny Chesney at Meadows Music Theatre; Uncle Kracker and Rascal Flatts opening; The Music of Led Zeppelin by Randy Jackson and Hartford Symphony Orchestra at Hartford Civic Center; Simon & Garfunkel at Mohegan Sun Arena; Village People at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; L.A. Guns and Dokken at The Webster Theatre, Secret Smile and Promize opening (all ages); Scratch & Sniff Duo at The Georgetown Saloon.

July 12 — Brad Paisley and Keith Urban at Mohegan Sun Arena; Big Head Todd & The Monsters at Toad’s Place (all ages); Dobie Gray at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Strangefolk at The Webster Theatre, Tenet opening.