Front and Center : Entertainment: Some fans were in line a day before tickets went on sale to see Randy Travis and other country idols at the Antelope Valley Fair.

In a soft voice and with a little chuckle, Marge Wilson is quick to admit that her friends think she is crazy.

Neither her 65 years nor temperatures that soared above the century mark on Friday were enough to keep her from getting a chance at front-row center concert tickets for some of her favorite country singers, including Clint Black, Randy Travis and Hank Williams Jr.

Wilson arrived at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds with her grandson in tow at 4 a.m. Friday to get in line for concert tickets that would not be for sale until 28 hours later.

“I wanted to make sure we got those front seats,” Wilson said. “It’s the only way to go, front row.”

Wilson was the first ticket buyer to arrive at the fairgrounds in Lancaster on Friday morning in anticipation of today’s 8 a.m. box office opening. Her vigil was not lonely for long.

Tim Oster took the day off work and arrived shortly after 4 a.m., also on a quest for the coveted “front and center” seats. As the sun appeared on the horizon and the mercury soared, ticket buyers continued to arrive.

They lugged coolers, sleeping bags, lawn chairs, portable stereos and umbrellas for protection against the harsh desert sun. Some set up camp under old trees that provided respite from the heat.

By 3 p.m., several dozen people were in line and the crowd was growing steadily.

Fair officials did not expect people to arrive so early for the tickets.

“We were very surprised this morning when we got in,” said Laurie Elkan, who is with the fair’s marketing department.

But this year the fair decided not to sell tickets over the phone or by mail. And popular Clint Black is making his only 1994 Los Angeles-area appearance at the Antelope Valley Fair.

To accommodate the crowd, the fair put out bottled water, set up portable toilets and even offered free T-shirts to the early arrivals. Security was expected to be provided overnight.

Ron Webber, standing in line, said he figures the group will be one big, happy family come morning. Rick McCool, who came to the fairgrounds with his wife and a friend at 7 a.m. Friday, said he planned to “sleep, party and hang out until they open the doors.”

“I usually don’t get a lot of time to sit around,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to do that for 24 hours.”

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Chris Hutchings, eighth in line, was there to get front-row seats to see Clint Black for himself, his wife and daughter.

“I did this back in the ‘70s,” he said. “I was a kid. I thumbed all the way to Woodstock back then.”

Scheduled to appear in concert during the 1994 Antelope Valley Fair, which runs Aug. 26 through Sept. 5, are Hank Williams Jr., Aug. 29; Randy Travis, Aug. 30; REO Speedwagon, Aug. 31; Clint Black, Sept. 1, and the Smothers Brothers, Sept. 2.

Tickets, which include admission to the fair, cost $12 to $25, depending on the concert and seating location. The shows are held in the Redman Grandstand, which seats about 10,400.