Barrel racer Karlee Benincasa turns the corner and heads for the finish line at the 2023 Westfield Fair.
Reminder Publishing file photo by Marc St. Onge
WESTFIELD — Asked why people should attend a New England County Fair, Andy Freniere, who serves on the Board of Directors for The Westfield Fair, didn’t skip a beat. “If I had to sum it up in one sentence it would be to support your local farmers, small business and agriculture education,” Freniere said, adding that the 501c3 nonprofit organization provides an opportunity for local exhibitors to enter and compete in agriculture-based competitions.
The 96th Annual Westfield Fair opens Aug. 16-18 at the fairgrounds on 137 Russellville Rd. Hours are 5-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. General admission is $12, seniors $10, and children under 12 free with a paid adult admission. Parking is free.
“When you walk through our building and see sheep, dairy cows, beef cows, horse pulling, oxen pulling and the many exhibits in our hall; these exhibits are all local farmers, 4-H youth, animal owners, and the public who have come to our fair to compete in these competitions,” Freniere said.
“The winners of these shows and exhibits are awarded premiums for their placing. The $12 entry fee to our fair goes directly to paying these premiums and upkeep on our grounds to keep it going year to year,” he added.
The Fair opens on Friday with what is arguably its biggest “pull” — the Mass Truck and Tractor Pulls at 6:15 p.m., right after formal opening ceremonies. The midway however opens at 5 p.m. with rides, exhibits, the craft barn, petting zoo, farm museum, opening of the Craft Beer Garden and Bubba’s Reptile Experience on all three days. The band Looney Tunes performs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
One of the events returning for the second time this year to the Westfield Fair is a performance by the Lucky E. Rodeo out of Broadalbin, New York at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. The rodeo will feature bull riding, barrel racing, Saddle Bronc riding, bareback riding, cattle roping and a rodeo clown.
“The rodeo was huge last year,” said Sheila Phelon, president of the Westfield Fair Association.
She said Saturday is also 4-H Youth Day at the fair, which is packed full of games and activities for kids, including “Magical Moments” Balloon Sculptures; junior beef and sheep shows, a corn hole tournament, kids’ tractor pull and more. Saturday and Sunday both end with a kids’ bike raffle at 4 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 17 offers live music by the Whitaker Hill Band from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Myles Reed and The Pitoniak Bros from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 18, live music is by the Rattle Tones from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For Phelon, what makes the Westfield Fair unique is something besides all of the special events and attractions. “It’s the longevity of the families involved. We have a very unique organization, long running with long family ties; three or four families that have been involved from the beginning and all their relatives are involved. Without them we wouldn’t have a fair,” she said.
Freniere agreed and said, “One thing that sets us aside from bigger ‘fair’ events is that we are a 100% volunteer fair. What that means is that everything you see at the Westfield Fair was done out of the kindness and gratitude from its volunteers and sponsors.”
He said the three days in August take 365 days of planning and thousands of hours of volunteering.
“Our volunteers all have different reasons but to sum it up we are here to keep the tradition alive, promote the importance of local agriculture, provide the opportunity to be an exhibitor at our fair, and provide New England the opportunity to enjoy and take part in the best fair around,” he said. “Being able to see families come and enjoy our fair with smiles on their faces, making memories, and learning and experiencing local agriculture is why we do what we do. I will argue it will be hard pressed to find a group of people like our volunteers working to put on the best fair as possible,” Freniere said.
The annual auction, another big annual draw, begins after the fair ends on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. with all of the proceeds benefiting the Westfield Fair. Items that are auctioned are those that people don’t take home from various hall exhibits, including baked goods, vegetables, flowers, corn stalks for decorating and bales of hay. For more information, visit thewestfieldfair.com.
