The recent death of Andy Griffith—star of "The Andy Griffith Show," set in the idyllic town of Mayberry—has seemingly sparked a sense of nostalgia for small-town life.

And for those who might be experiencing these pangs, there's the Manchester Community Fair, happening at Alumni Memorial Field (220 E. Vernon St. in Manchester), now through Saturday, July 7.

The fair's rodeos, tractor pulls, livestock auctions, carnival rides and games, scavenger hunts, pedal pulls, live music, and a hot dog eating contest are among the events expected to bring out 10,000 attendees.

"The fair always seems to draw a crowd for the rodeo, fair queen contest, tractor pulls, and stage acts," said Ben Wojtas, director of entertainment, and of advertising, on the Manchester Community Fair Board. "I look forward to the fair because it kicks off the summer fair season, and it also gives people an opportunity to take a 'staycation' in their own backyards. … With the loss of the State Fair, this makes the smaller county/community fairs that much more important to bring agricultural awareness along with good old fashioned country fun."

Gate admission is $5 per day, and children 8 and under are free. For more details, and a complete schedule, visit http://manchesterfair.org.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.