What really is a "Country Fair"?

Having grown up directly across the street from a wonderful county fair, it is amazing to me that there are many in our society who don’t know the first thing about a county fair. Case in point, last week I was talking to a sales executive in New York City. I was telling her of our need to educate the public in the Metro area about county fairs. They have wonderful street festivals but, they really don’t know what a county fair is all about. The young woman informed me that she had been to a county fair so she knew what a county fair was. When questioned further about what county fair she had visited (because I have been to hundreds of them), her reply came quickly, “Oh, I went to a Renaissance Festival once.”

Many events use the name “fair”. There are book fairs and science fairs and street fairs. But, if the event does not showcase agriculture and feature competition in various categories of animal showmanship, domestic and fine arts exhibits, it is not a county fair. Last year at the Dutchess County Fair, we had 1700 individual exhibitors bring to the fair over 10,000 individual entries. Now, that’s a county fair. And I don’t expect anything less this year.

We are in the midst of the celebration of 200 years of agricultural fairs in America, as we know them. Our fair here is the largest six day county fair in the state and probably east of the Mississippi. It is recognized by industry insiders, those who travel to and make their livings at fairs, as one of the bestin the country.

I love the quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher arrives.” As a former Social Studies teacher, I would like to invite especially those who do not know about the wonders of the county fair to mark their calendars for Aug. 23 through 28 and come to Rhinebeck, NY for the Dutchess County Fair. The teacher is waiting!

Fairgrounds Announces Bixby's "Dare to be Dazzled" Tour

On a sunny day or beautiful night, there is really no place on earth were I would rather be than on a fairgrounds. On a rainy day, that same fairgrounds is the last place I want to be. I was faced with just those realities this past weekend during the 4^th of July Great American Celebration on the Dutchess Co. Fairgrounds. Saturday night’s rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of the drivers in the Demolition Derby but, it certainly kept our attendance low and generally gave all of us the blahs!

Contrast that with Monday night and our 4^th of July Hudson Valley Philharmonic Concert with fireworks. With stars in the sky and just the slightest slivery moon overhead, we felt magic in the air! Literally thousands came; men, women and children. We celebrated our freedom, had fun, and savored the wonderful music and brilliant fireworks display.

With the enthusiasm of kids on Christmas morning, or remembering the excitement of blowing out the candles on our birthday cake at a very young age, we now totally turn our attention to the 166^th Dutchess County Fair. It will take place on this same fairgrounds from August 23^rd through the 28^th. This year, I think I want to call it “The Year of the Child”. We are emphasizing that children under 12 come to the fair free of charge. So, we are using our pre-fair brochure to do a better job of explaining to kids who might not know anything about a county fair, exactly what we are all about.

We are using our friend, Bixby who will return to the fair with his Rainforest Experience to conduct the “Dare to Be Dazzled” tour. In our pre-fair brochure, he will walk children through all of the magic, the fun, the animals, the rides, games, and food, the gardens, the museums and everything else that defines us as a wonderful county fair.

Whether you have kids or are just a kid at heart, set the dates aside, Aug. 23 – 28. Rhinebeck, NY is the place to be. Come and “dare to be dazzled” at the 166^th Dutchess Co. Fair.

2011 Spring Crafts at Rhinebeck Show

If your weekend plans are still a bit unsettled, you may wish to consider joining us on the beautiful Dutchess County Fairgrounds for Crafts at Rhinebeck. For 35 years, this “Juried” show has attracted hundreds of artists from all over the country.

Before I got involved with the DC Fairgrounds, I didn’t even know what “juried” meant. It means you must make everything you display and sell by hand. Your one of a kind handmade items must be of sufficient quality, uniqueness and distinction to be voted into the show by a jury of fellow artists. While the jury system may exclude some, it welcomes in all the best artists who tour and sell their art at shows like Crafts at Rhinebeck. You can come here and purchase museum quality art for a lot of money. To me, it would be priceless art. But, I assure you that you can also come here and find some very beautiful items, great gifts for family and friends AT VERY AFFORDABLE PRICES. I have family and friends that visit this show almost every year and they go home with bags of unique gifts. And none of us are wealthy people! The show runs Friday night (June 17^th) from 6 to 8 pm, Saturday, (June 18^th) from 10 to 6 and Sunday, (June 19^th) from 10 to 5.

Admission is just $7.00, children under 12 are free and there are special activities for the children. Parking is also free. If you attend Friday night, you will be treated to a wine and cheese reception and your $7.00 ticket will be good for a return visit on Saturday or Sunday. Sunday is Fathers Day and there will be a free glass of wine or beer for dad with a coupon from our Crafts at Rhinebeck print ads or by visiting our website, craftsatrhinebeck.com. Hope to see you here!

A Tradition of Excellence

The 165^th Dutchess County Fair was hugely successful by any standard of measurement. Preliminary attendance figures indicate that the paid attendance was 143,069 with an estimated overall attendance of 325,481. While the weather forecast the first two days and 90 degree temps on the final day did hold the numbers down to some degree, these attendance figures are HUGE for a six day fair.

It was also an excellent fair because we were able to maintain our agricultural integrity with 1184 exhibitors fielding 7,428 individual exhibits. Survey results continue to reflect that the majority of our patrons come to see all of the agricultural exhibits. This holds us true to and consistent with our mission to educate the public and showcase agriculture, still the number one industry in New York State.

From the new Sand Castle to Bixby’s Rain Forest Rescue and the 40 Top News Stories of Our Times, the $100,000 investment in new shows and attractions proved very popular with our guests. Concert enthusiasts were treated to some great entertainment in front of the main stage with Broadway music, the best of Country featuring the legendary George Jones, Joe Nichols, Gloriana, and current country superstars, Montgomery Gentry. Foreigner “blew the roof off the joint” Friday night with a sensational concert.

Plans are already underway for the 166^th Dutchess County Fair which will be held next summer from August 23^rd through the 28^th. As the recession continues to press on, wars and violence all over the world persists, pressures at home continue, we look forward to again providing an outlet for wholesome family fun and quality entertainment in 2011. To all who assisted us in making this year’s production a success and any and all that will join us in producing next year’s classic fair event, we offer our gratitude. Thank you for your contributions to our important work and for helping us continue “the tradition of excellence” that is the Dutchess County Fair.

It’s Over . . .Again

As a child, the fair at home never ended without little Bobby Grems crying. I shed a tear or two this year, too . . .and big Bob Grems is 63 years old! I cried because it will take 365 days for the next Dutchess County Fair to return. I cried for the young soldier that we remembered at each evening’s grandstand show that was buried last week. Did he ever make it to the Dutchess County Fair? I cried tears of happiness for the 1130 children and chaperones who visited during “Ideal Country Holiday”. These were kids who could never have been fair go-ers without the generous support of a caring community. Angry tears flowed when I remembered the fights with the Poughkeepsie Journal over a totally unfair and inaccurate front page article three days before the fair on food safety. The most respected fair man I know read that article by Sarah Bradshaw and commented, “That is the worst piece of fair journalism I have read in 40 years.”

A little grief and sadness is not all bad, a few tears cleanse as does an early morning rain. Like life itself, the down times help us appreciate the good times. And were there ever good times at the 165^th Dutchess County Fair. Over 1500 adults and children took the time to prepare, deliver, and pick up over 7500 individual entries, helping keep alive the tradition of what a good county fair should be. Five fabulous concerts of big name talent filled the night air. Wonderful free shows ; so many you could never see all of them in one day. Lots of fair food and tens of thousands of gallons of freshly squeezed lemonade. Families and friends gathering, renewing acquaintances. A spectacular fireworks display to end it all on Sunday night.

I don’t get the criticism, any criticism of the fair unless it is reflective of these troubled times. But it is precisely because these are difficult days that we need to provide an alternative, emphasize the positive, showcase agriculture and its importance, create a forum for family fun that our sights are clearly set on the 166^th Dutchess County Fair. The detractors and critics beware! You will not stop or even slow down this effort. If we have been able to endure wars and depressions and not only survive but, thrive, you will not stop us. Our work is too important, our mission too worthy, our past too glorious to allow you to turn our efforts back now. The 166^th Dutchess County Fair happens next summer from August 23^rd through the 28^th. Mark your calendar, everyone. And, thanks to all who came and had fun with us this year.

Fairs are for friends and farmers

Agricultural fairs as we know them started two hundred years ago. They were in the very beginning, have been for 200 years, and are today, about farmers coming together. A fair provided a social function for society, then and it does today. The vast majority of our citizens 200 years ago were farmers. Today, I think the statistic is 1 or 2%. But, a fair back then, and for two centuries have been an opportunity for our farmers to showcase the very best of their livestock, the best their fields and farms could produce. I don’t know when the prized blue ribbon make its debut or the reason that farmers across the country now work, plant, and plan for months in the hope of picking up one or more of those prized blue ribbons. Right now, as I write these lines, over 1,000 individual exhibitors ,men, women, boys, and girls, are preparing everything from cows, horses, pigs, chickens, sheep, and goats to jams, jellies, quilts and fine arts for the 165^th Dutchess County Fair. They provide us the core, the essence of what an authentic county fair is all about. If we are going to save our family farm and farming, if we are going to give our citizens an appreciation for agriculture, educate them as to where the food we eat comes from, encourage young people to carry on the rich tradition of farming, we have to let our agricultural fairs lead the effort. No place on earth do we do a better job showcasing agriculture than at a county fair. So, accept the invitation and come August 24^th through the 29^th to the largest 6 day county fair east of the Mississippi. Come, experience the wonders of agriculture and learn more about it by rubbing shoulders with our farmers. Come and ask a farmer or two why year after year, decade after decade, century after century,t hat blue ribbon has been the incentive to get them off the farm and share with us one of our richest and most noble traditions, the county fair.

One Final Blog From Boonville

I make this final entry from the place of my birth, the beautiful backyard garden that my family has maintained for as long as I can remember. There’s a sign coming out of Rome, NY that reads, “Boonville, just 25 minutes to Heaven” This is a wonderful little village. Just on the borderline of the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The scenic ponds, lakes, and streams attract tourists from afar. Several years ago, a joint commission of county governments proposed creating a landfill up the road in Ava, NY. A local group of activist citizens and concerned residents kept the issue in the courts and the dump out of our beautiful, bucolic setting for many years. In the end, the “wisdom” of the original commission and the need to bury our garbage someplace, won out. I have not been by the dump or “landfill” as the “authorities” like to call, lately. So, I don’t know if the thousands of sea gulls have take up residence there or the smell of rotting garbage fills the countryside, or if the runoff of toxic waste that was so feared has come to fruition. I only know right now as I sit writing this, one tractor trailer after another rolls up the street just beyond this beautiful garden. All day, they come and go. Back and forth. So, children are at risk during the school year as the big rigs drive past the two major schools servicing the area, every day. And the way of life of this wonderful little village has been permanently interrupted.

At the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, I always say, “It would be totally inconsistent for us to be here to showcase agriculture and not be a good friend of the environment. Our Aug. 24^th through 29^th fair, will be a zero landfill event, in addition to all of our reclamation efforts. All of our garbage will be transported to nearby burn plants and regenerated into energy. Having my peace interrupted this morning by a parade of garbage trucks that despite the best efforts of the good people of this area were not able to stop, makes me more committed than ever to trying to be a good friend to the environment.