By Tom Killin Dalglish

LITTLE COMPTON — There'll be something for everyone at the 55th annual United Congregation Church (UCC) Fair in Little Compton this weekend.

"We get a few thousand folks attending," said Sue Hutson, a parishioner since 1983, and one of the "captains" involved in organizing the fair this year.

The fair on Saturday, July 11, actually starts Friday night, July 10, at 7 p.m. with the band Abbey Rhode playing Beatles tunes inside the historic church, located on The Commons in Little Compton.

"People got up and just started dancing last year. It was great fun," Ms. Huston said. "Parents really got into the music."

The fair is an immense undertaking. "I don't think there's anyone who hasn't worked on the church fair," she said. "I'd say we have close to 200 volunteers."

A marquee event of the fair is the 4.8 mile ('flat and fast") road race through scenic Little Compton, which draws close to 5,000 runners, Ms. Hutson said.

Registration is online (follow the links from the UCC website). The gun will go off at 9 a.m. sharp, Saturday, July 11.

Cash prizes ($300/$200/$100) go to the top three men and women, with a bonus of $500 to the man or woman setting a new course record.

The top 500 entries will get T-shirts with a logo designed by Megan Kirchner, a graphic artist and Tiverton High School graduate, now at Pratt Institute, who (among other awards) won Doodle for Google contests in 2011 and  2012 .

Other notable features of this year's fair, said Ms. Hutson, include:

• Celebrity dunks. "We've brought back the dunk tank,"  she said. This year's celebrities (and dunkees) are Little Compton Police Lieutenant John Faria, and 7th and 8th grade Wilbur & McMahon English teacher, Michael Tomasso.

• Food bank collection. New this year, said Ms. Hutson, is a food bank collection, an idea organized by Richard McGee, a Little Compton boy who fulfilled a mission requirement for his confirmation by working this year at the Little Compton food bank. Collections will be accepted in front of the parish house.

• Music. A new jazz music duo will be playing during the festivities, Ms. Hutson said. Called AirPlay, the duo features Gianna Sullivan on flute and Julio Amaro on guitar.

• Face painting. "You can get a unicorn on your face, or spiderman," painted by Elizabeth Ross, said Ms. Huston. Ms. Ross painted the pumpkins at the zoo pumpkin walk last year.

• Food. It will be a cornucopia — cotton candy and slushies, pies and a pie baking contest, a lobster lunch and lobster rolls, grilled hamburgers, ice cream, a bake sale, not to mention specialties from various local restaurants and caterers.

• Rock wall. "The rock wall is hugely popular," said Ms. Hutson. "It's a challenge for young and old. There will be spotters and harnesses."

• Dog show. A dog show at 1 p.m., sponsored by Placing Paws, will take place behind the white elephant tent.

• Raffle and auction. A raffle will be conducted of an iPad, Tiverton Four Corner gifts, a Red Dory restaurant gift certificate, and a private wine-tasting tour for 10 at Carolynn's Sakonnet Vineyard. A silent auction  of 52 items (outdoor experiences, services, tours, plants, music dining, art family fun, and craft objects) is another feature of the fair.

• Other events include a bounce house, crafts, a wghite elephant sale of used items, and a book sale.

In years past, the fair has raised an estimated $30,000-$40,000 after expenses, Ms. Hutson said.

In addition to the official fair events, over 40 vendors are expected to be present with their wares.

The fair is rain or shine. Parking for the fair is available on the Peckham Lot west of The Commons, at two local churches (Saint Catherine's and Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea), and roadside in town.

For further information, call the UCC at 401-635-8472 or go to the UCC/Fair website at: http://www.ucclcri.org/fairroad-race.html