The annual four-day Agricultural Fair brought in Islanders and visitors, family and friends for the 163rd time this past weekend — a celebration for those who attend every year and the many who plan a trip just for the end-of-summer occasion.
The fair held space for everybody, from the thrilling attributes like the winding rides with flashing lights, stilted performers and a fire dancer, to the familiar, halcyon amusements like live music, prize-winning produce and artwork, serene locals weaving in the fiber tent and sporadic “moos” and “baas” that reverberated through the wooden walls of the Agricultural Society’s barn.
“When I first moved here, the fair was one of my favorite things. The first time I went into the hall, I almost cried. I think it’s so beautiful. So it’s really fun to be a part of now,” Lucy Grinnan, the program and outreach manager for the Agricultural Society, said on Saturday amid the bustling and hustling of the fair around them. “There are over 400 staff and volunteers, and then hundreds more judges, vendors and service providers who put together this event for our community.”
Despite the spotty weather opening day Thursday, the fair started with a bang — or rather a squeal — with the birth of twelve piglets to a robust and exhausted mother (she was there as a prize-winning pig, and the birth of her piglets was an unexpected addition to the inaugural morning). The fair wrapped up with the well-attended and fan-favorite skillet toss on Sunday afternoon. The grounds of the Agricultural Society, on Panhandle Road, were open to the public until Sunday night, when all the rides, vendors, and organizers packed everything away for next year.
For some local families, the fair was an exciting time to connect with the Island community in the midst of a busy summer. Allen Farm owners and operators Nathaniel and Kaila Allen-Posin attended with their children and manned a table in the fiber tent.
“There’s chaos, but there’s also this beautiful connection,” Kaila Allen-Posin said as she looked around the tent to the Islanders who were milling about. She described the fair as a grounding “touchpoint” when the energy of August is high-strung and intense, and a way of staying present for the last hurrah of the season. Not to mention, the fun activities for kids were plentiful.
Tara Ledden and her husband, William, strolled the fair grounds with their two children, Anastasia, age 7, and Wesley, age 2, on Saturday afternoon. They live on the Island year-round, and this year’s fair was their seventh annual as a family.
“My favorite part is the rides,” Anastasia Ledden exclaimed, clasping her hands together excitedly. She and her brother had just won second place in the “Tug ‘O’ War,” and were both elated to be carrying around the bold, red ribbons that their parents kept tucked away in Wesley Ledden’s stroller.
For some young locals and seasonal visitors, volunteering at the fair was their way of experiencing the joy of the event. One volunteer said the generational aspects were their favorite part — from the wisdom found in the fiber tent to the “joy of the animals.”
“I think this is a really special way to engage the youth,” Olivia Petipas, a security and fiber arts volunteer said. “People were so invested with being present.”
One local vendor, 22-year-old Ellie Thomas, daughter of Chef Deon Thomas, said she’s taking after her father in the next generation of Island chefs. She sold corn, dressed with various toppings and cooked to order.
“I’m always going to be here. I’m always going to be a part of it — with all the memories I get to make at the old booth and the new one,” Thomas said as she gestured to her father’s booth around the corner that sold Caribbean food.
The lines for food vendors wrapped around each other — with people waiting to order familiar favorites like a root beer float from “Floaters,” strawberry shortcake, egg rolls, rotisserie chicken from “Goldie’s,” or an American-style burger from the “Burger Booth.”
For some, the fair was a way to give back to the community. Stephen Serusa, a firefighter in West Tisbury, said proceeds from the “Burger Booth” raise money for college scholarships, town assistance, and equipment. Firefighters volunteer their time to make hot dogs, burgers, and other snacks for fair-goers. In the last ten years, Serusa estimated they’ve collected over $357,000 for their scholarship cause.
“It’s all for the community and people love it. It’s a staple in the fair. Everybody comes to get the burgers and we look forward to it every year,” Serusa said.
Another staple of the Agricultural Fair were the contests. Farms and individuals from across the Island entered produce, flower arrangements, animals, and artwork. All were then judged and awarded accordingly. In the main agricultural hall, all entries were on display, with bright blue, first prize ribbons blowing in the breeze from the winning items and crowds lingering and leaning to take it all in.
Most of the events held at the fair had ribbon-winners as well. The women’s skillet toss was won by Veronika Buckley with a throw of over 42 feet, and the longest throw throughout the competition was in an early round fromOak Bluffs Harbormaster Emily deBettencourt, who flung the cast iron over 47 feet.
The Tractor Pull — held as two events for adults and kids — was judged by how far a tractor and rider could pull equipment behind them. For the adults, their own tractors were brought in to pull a massive slab of concrete. For the kids, their goal was to pull a metal attachment that dragged on the ground behind a tractor. Despite some scraped knees and tears, the adults did just fine.
The 4H students — a youth program through the Agricultural Society — featured the nine- through 15-year-olds in the Cow Pokes program, run by Carole Soule and her husband Bruce Dawson. Cows and calves were dressed up by the students in inventive and outrageous costumes. A calf dressed as the “Pink Pony Club” — a hit song by artist Chappell Roan — and an adult cow dressed as a motorcycle, adorned with fiery red and black accents and complete with a handmade license plate, won the contest based on the loudness of the claps from the engaged audience. Cheers and “moo’s” rang out across the hay-strewn field.
For many people who come to the fair annually, every ten feet lead to a reunion. The flashing lights, bright blue eyes of the horses, gleam of the electric guitars in the music tent, and steam from hot food from vendors were all backdropped by the embraces of community members with each other. For many working Islanders or seasonal residents who visit, the fair is a time of reconnection.
As seasonal resident and 77-year-old Alison Driscoll, who has attended the fair since the 80’s, said: “We’re running into so many friends and people we know — we barely have time to see the exhibits!”