Whimsical Animals Return to Dayton Fair

Zak Asiago and Amanda Stiffler are back in Dayton next week as part of “Friendly Farmer’s Barn Yard Review” with the fun-loving pig ‘Hammy Faye’ and cow ‘Elvis Hostein.’ (photo used by permission)

by Jonathan Weaver

Animals on four legs will not only be the ones running around the Great Dayton Fairgrounds next weekend.

“Hammy Faye” and “Elvis Hostein” as part of ‘Friendly Farmer’s Barn Yard Review’ will be back making fair-goers learn and laugh during the Great Dayton Fair the week of August 15.

Amanda Stiffler, of Panama City, Fla., performed three different shows per day in 2015 during the fair and a walk-around with the characters – “Elvis Holstein” – a cow that looks like Elvis Presley and “Hammy Faye” – a pig that looks like a ballerina.

This year, she said a new illusion is part of the show that teaches children about eating healthy and the food pyramid.

Business Partner Zak Asiago, originally from Sharon (Mercer County) but now also a Florida resident, came up with the concept with Stiffler – who said the variety show allows them to mix it up after each season.

“The beginning thought process when we developed it was, we felt like the fairs needed a show that applied to what they did more: i.e. agriculturally-based, something farming,” Stiffler said last August. “Between the both of us and driving from A to B hundreds of miles, we came up with the idea of a farm-themed variety show.

“One of us will be walking around as the character, meeting and greeting guests, taking pictures – adding extra atmosphere to the fair,” Stiffler said.

This past week, both were at the Freeborn County Fair in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

“We’ve been doing this show for six years, but we’ve both been performers all of our lives,” Stiffler said last year.

Both business partners own separate entertainment businesses – how they met – and Stiffler previously worked in marketing.

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