Compiled by

Irene Wheeler, Historian

This year the Fair was better than ever.  The weather was in our favor and the Fair attendance broke all records.  On Friday, 47,415 people came in the gates, a new record high for Friday.  On Saturday, 66,180 people came to the Fair.  This was not a record, but it was close. We had 86,052 attendees on Sunday and 59,371 attendees on Monday.  With three high attendance days, we broke the total with 259,019 attending over the 4 days.  Wow!

Fair goers could never be bored.  They were greeted inside the gates with dozens of rides, antique car and tractor displays, go-cart races, displays of produce, flowers, photos, artwork, crafts, baked goods, animals, displays of youth work, etc.  You could see sheep shows, swine shows, dairy and beef shows.  For horse lovers, a 4-day horse show was held outside the North Gate.  It is one of the regions largest horse shows.  You could find food to satisfy almost any palate from pizza and calzones to onion blooms, turkey legs and fruit salads.  And don't forget the apple crisp and the ice-cream sundae's that they call the World's Best or the eclairs and candy.  You could find almost any kind of trinket or gadget imaginable from walking sticks to mops that are supposed to work better than yours and kitchen utensils, clocks, hats and fleeces.   

On the main stage, we had the Charlie Daniels Band, The Buckinghams with John Waite, Herman's Hermits and a show called Rock Never Stops with Slaughter, Ratt, and Motley Crue.   On the South Stage, we had the Rode Island Old Tyme Fiddlers in their 58th year the Fair, Danielson Martial Arts, Smokehouse, Pete Haddad, Tourtellotte High School Stage Band, Woodstock Academy Hill Singers and Stage Band and much more. 

There were tractor pulls, ox pulls, pony pulls and horse pulls.  There were contests for everyone, eating pie and corn on the cob, among other things,   We cannot forget the Spam Contest or the Fleischman's Bread Contest or even the apple pie baking contest.  There was Bing for some and the Agriculture Barn for others with displays of honey, maple syrup, and a miniature farm where young children could collect eggs, pick apples and dig potatoes.  There were chicks hatching and butter making  and free cheese samples.  Maria Conlon and Morgan Valley of the UCONN Womens' Basketball Team signed autographs on Sunday in front of the administration building.

Everyone had a great time and worked well together.