Maine’s Blue Ribbon Classic agricultural fair will take place this year Sunday, October 4 – Sunday, October 11. The West Oxford Agricultural Society, presenters of the Fryeburg Fair, was incorporated on June 3, 1851. Originally, nine Maine towns were included, with six New Hampshire towns added in 1888. After moving from town to town for the first few years, a permanent fair site was purchased in Fryeburg. After nearly 30 years it moved to its present location, north of town, with the purchase of 26 acres for $133. The first fair was held there in 1885. Dyring the next 100 plus years it has expanded to 180 acres and includes 100 permanent buildings, with over 3,000 camping sites. Currently, about 300,000 people attend the fair annually.
Attractions include 4-H riding horse shows, sheepdog trials, poultry and flower shows, fleece and fiber shows, Society Pig Scrambles (no, we don’t know what that is), tractor pulls, woodsmen’s field days (watch people throw axes!), Christmas tree exhibits, lamb shows, dairy goat shows, llama shows, draft horse shows, blueberry dessert contests, and wreath making demonstrations, but this is just a drop in the bucket of the hundreds of activities scheduled. For complete information, log on to www.fryeburgfair.com. Tickets are $8 Sunday through Friday and the last Sunday, and $10 on Saturday. Parking on grounds is $5. For information call 207-935-3268.
