HAMBURG -- About a million people are expected to catch "Fair Fever" at the 171st Erie County Fair. Through Aug. 22, the Fairgrounds will be a place of excitement, games and competition, with attractions ranging from a master hypnotist to a sea lion show.

The fair will once again feature motor events and concerts at the Buffalo.com Grandstand. Hot new highlights for families include Zoppe's Amazing World of Primates, a comedic monkey act; the Morrisville State College Belgian Horse Hitch; an impersonator of Barney of Mayberry (deputy sheriff from "The Andy Griffith Show"); and NASCAR driver Mike Wallace.

Here are some glimpses into the stories behind other new faces and places you might come across this season:

Close Encounters of the Exotic Kind

For six generations, Vincent Von Duke's family has been fraternizing with the enemy.

Lions and tigers, that is. Their big cat show, featured at this year's fair, originated overseas in Germany and has been active in the United States since the 1920s. The performance gives audience members a close look at the beautiful coats and majestic deportment of these normally vicious animals.

But Von Duke's family has decades of experience, and their lions and tigers are more like friends than foes.

"It's really just like having a pet," Von Duke said. "We raise them from birth with bottles and everything, and we play with them during the show."

A white tiger, a Siberian tiger, an orange Bengal, and a male and female lion comprise Von Duke's team of cats. He says each of them has a special personality and life story. The male lion is 17-years-old -- an age that most lions in the wild would never be expected to reach.

Von Duke was only 8 when he began training. "I remember everything," he said. Although he worked with a small black leopard to start, Von Duke says that even as a little boy he wasn't too frightened.

"I was raised around these animals, so I wasn't really afraid," he said. "It's not anything unusual to be constantly around animals in my family."

What you see on TV doesn't do these big cats justice, Von Duke says. His lions and tigers range from 250 to 650 pounds, so there is a noticeable reaction on audience members' faces when they see how enormous these animals actually are.

"Everyone 'oohs' and 'ahhs' at the performance -- that's what makes it all worthwhile," he said.

Diamond Jubilee Carousel Organ

In 1979, Roger Wiegand went to England for a science conference. He left home with a penchant for biology and all things natural, but when he returned, his interests had suddenly turned mechanical.

While in England, Wiegand attended the Great Dorset Steam Fair, an event that features hundreds of working steam engines, antique carnival rides and vintage tractors. He became especially enamored with the intricate band organs showcased at the fair.

"I fell completely in love with them, and I couldn't imagine anything as outrageous as these mechanical machines," he said.

While his interest in mechanical music expanded to such instruments as player pianos and nickelodeons, his fascination remained a hobby until Wiegand made enough money to invest in an instrument of his own.

That instrument was the Diamond Jubilee Carousel Organ, an 89-key Gavioli organ that replicates a small band of bass, trombones, saxophones, flutes, piccolos, violins, percussions, clarinets and cymbals. It plays the violin-baritone (or VB) scale, which means that the pipes made to carry the melody are lower in pitch than those of most other organs. "It makes for a very rich sound," Wiegand said. While they are popular in England, there is only one other organ of this kind currently in the United States.

He calls it "the happiest music on earth" for a reason. "Everybody walks by and smiles," Wiegand said. "Routinely, I'll see children dancing in front of it, or see people do double-takes."

Wiegand's organ is the largest touring antique fairground organ in the Americas. Around 30 years ago, the organ was dismantled for restoration, but the project was abandoned, leaving Wiegand to pick it up again in 2007 and start a thorough restoration process that included a special method of color-enhancing in which a metallic sheen is inserted underneath the paint.

Built by the Gavioli firm in Paris in 1897, the organ continues to delight visitors at fairs all over the country. Although he is working as a biologist, Wiegand plans to keep showing his organ after retirement.

Chris Perondi's Stunt Dog Experience

Chris Perondi is a lot of things, but most importantly, he's really fond of dogs.

Besides being an artist, motivational speaker, entertainer, athlete, writer, poet, graphic designer and photographer, Perondi is a professional dog trainer who started training dogs with Frisbees as a hobby back in 1996. His commercial success began with the rescue of his first celebrity dog star, Extreme Pepper, who is now 14-years-old and retired. From there Perondi went on the establish Stunt Dog Productions in 1999.

His company collaborates with the Humane Society of the United States to raise awareness of animal rescue and pet adoption. Over the years, Perondi has adopted seven dogs, some of whom -- like Flashy Ferrari and Rocket Ruiz -- are top contenders for the unofficial title of world's highest-jumping dog. Perondi knew a long time ago that he could not keep audiences entertained with just one exhausted canine.

"My dog was getting too tired to do it all by himself," Perondi said. Two other trainers will appear alongside Perondi at the Erie County Fair this year, bringing the total number of performing dogs to 13.

"We've been getting booked all over the United States since we started," Perondi said. They have been at the Silver Dollar City Theme Park in Branson, Mo., for most of the summer. In addition, Stunt Dog Experience has been featured on programs like "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Oprah" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Perondi says that everyone loves to see dogs do wacky things, but kids in particular marvel at their tricks. "If you ask one of them which is their favorite dog, they'll usually point to the one right in front of them," he laughed. If they arrive early, kids also have a chance to participate in the show.

Those who are interested in the show should also doggy-ear Perondi's daily blog (stuntdog.wordpress.com), where he offers training tips, dog-related news, interesting stats and fun anecdotes from the road.È

Erie County Fair

Wednesday through Aug. 22 at The Fairgrounds, 5600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg.

Hours: 2 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday through Aug. 22.

Gate admission: $10 for adults, $7 for seniors 60 and over, free for kids 12 and under.

 Discount presale tickets are available at Tops Friendly Markets before Aug. 15.

Parking: $2 on Wednesday, $4 on Thursday and $5 from next Friday through Aug. 22.

For information and discounts, visit www.ecfair.org or call 649-3900.

Grandstand Events:

The following concerts and motorsports events are held in the grandstand. Events noted as free are free with paid admission to the fair. Ticket prices for other events are noted (these include free fair admission) and are available through Tickets.com or by calling (888) 223-6000.

•  Peter Frampton, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; $15-$30.
•  The Village People, 8 p.m. Thursday; free.
•  The Australian Bee Gees Show: A Tribute to the Bee Gees, 8 p.m. Aug. 15; free.
•  Jamey Johnson, 8 p.m. Aug. 16; free.
• Jason Aldean with Easton Corbin, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17; $40-$50.
• The Four Tops, 8 p.m. Aug. 18; free.

Motorsports

•  Tonny Petersen's Hell Drivers, 2 and 8 p.m. Aug. 14; free.
•  Ultimate Night of Destruction, 7 p.m. Aug. 19; $16-$20
•  Truck & Tractor Pull Championships, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20-21; $16 infield, $12 grandstand, $20 Pit Pass sold day of event.
•  World's Largest Demolition Derby, 2 and 7 p.m. Aug. 22; $16-$20

aeck@buffnews.comnull