A shot from a past year at the Three County Fair.
Photo credit: Jessica Kaczenski, Three County Fair.
NORTHAMPTON — One of America’s oldest ongoing fairs will return for its 209th year this Labor Day weekend with another four-day slate of classic Americana fun, food and celebration at 54 Fair St. in Northampton.
The Three County Fair will run from Sept. 4-7 in what has become a celebration and promotion of local agriculture, agricultural education and agricultural science in the state. Each year, it is hosted by the nonprofit organization The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden County Agricultural Society.
According to organizers, the fair has evolved to offer a variety of experiences for its attendees, including carnivals, games, livestock demonstrations, crafts, demolition derbies, music, food and entertainment performances in preparation for harvest. Farmers also typically share their techniques at the fair each year.
Three County Fair Executive Director Taylor Haas told Reminder Publishing that attendees can expect a combination of the fair’s classic elements and new additions to bolster the event in its second century.
“I think the community just loves our fair because it’s been around forever, but I do think what we offer the community and the greater tri-county area is that we have a lot of entertainment and the typical fair elements through our animal competitions, the agriculture, the midway and the rides. This fair has transformed from its heyday of horse racing, which was the fair’s bread and butter for the majority of its lifespan, to now just being an agricultural fair,” said Haas. “I think a lot of the community felt like the fair was losing something so beloved by losing horse racing, but now we have this really special tradition that we can celebrate not only our community, but farms in our community and also just each other.”
Returning to the fair this year are the infamous Wall of Death extreme motorcycle thrill show, the Wee Wee Wee Racing Pigs, and the truck and tractor pulls following a hiatus. Also back for this year’s fair are the regular farm livestock competitions and exhibition hall classics, the pie-eating contest, the New England Mobile Dairy Bar in partnership with Maple Line Farm, the Magic of Lance Gifford, lawnmower racing and, of course, the iconic demolition derbies. Over 20 different food trucks and plenty of other fair dining options will be available during the weekend, as well.
Haas explained that the fair will feature a large mobile stage highlighting tribute bands each day to coincide with America’s 250th birthday. Kicking off the weekend at 7 p.m. will be Aquanett, a 1980s tribute band, followed by an Earth, Wind and Fire tribute band on Saturday. Sunday will feature 1990s country tribute band Cottonwood, and on Labor Day, the stage will see Sweet Hitch Hiker, a Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute band, close out the weekend of performers.
“What better way to celebrate all things Americana than at a country fair?” Haas added.
The fair will once again offer free parking, and tickets can be purchased on the fair’s website. Advance tickets ordered online save buyers $3, while tickets purchased at the booth during the fair will cost $15. Admission for seniors and veterans is $10, and youth aged 11 and under can enter for free. A four-day pass is available online only for $32 through Sept. 4.
Haas added that she and the team she works with daily, as well as the board of directors for the fair and the over 190 members involved, are dedicated to preserving this tradition in the Pioneer Valley. She said that they are hoping for another exciting year in celebrating state agriculture and the community.
“What it means for us to continue this tradition is, I think we all take a serious responsibility for the future of this fair and being able to have this every year, and seeing people’s smiles on their faces when they’re at the fair just feels so rewarding to see all of our hard work pay off during the fair,” Haas said. “I really want to remind the community that this fair exists for all of us. We hope to keep things accessible for all members of our community. We don’t charge for parking, and once people are in the gates of the fairgrounds, there’s so much free entertainment and activities.”
To view the full concert and events scheduled for the four-day weekend, visit 3countyfair.com.
