The 166th Dutchess County Fair is in the history books and we’ll never forget this one! We survived an earthquake on opening day, monsoon like rains during the Kellie Pickler concert, AND Hurricane Irene. I am far too much of an optimist to remember this fair for the unfortunate aspects that influenced it so negatively. Even as I deal with my sadness, I have to remember it for the wonderful parts. It was a great fair!
I love the quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher arrives.” This fair taught me so much. It reinforced that the fair is so wholesome, so good, so important to everyone who works here, everyone who comes to enjoy it. There is a reason fairs have been part of our social fabric for 200 years. It taught me the importance of seeking input and counsel in making important and difficult decisions. It taught me to put things in perspective. No-one was killed or seriously injured, everyone got off the fairgrounds safely, no physical damage was done to the fairgrounds.
Most of all, however, it taught me that this fair has a personality, almost a human quality. After making the decision to close the fair completely on Friday night, I heard from any number of people that while it was the right decision, it made them sad. You say that at a wake, not when an event is cancelled. That is unless you love it and enjoy it and value it and know how significant the event is in your life. Not unless you work hard, give your body and soul to the effort because you believe in it and want to be a part of it.
We will recover from this. We are already working on the 167th Dutchess County Fair which will run next summer from August 21st through the 26th. On our infield today stands our wonderful Sand Castle built to completion before our early closing. It stands as a monument to our endurance, our faith in the value and importance of this fair in the grand scheme of things. Neither wind nor rain, earth quake or hurricane could destroy it. It was built to stand the elements. I assure you, the Dutchess County Fair is built of the same stuff.
