NORWICH – Approximately 35,000 people, over the course of six days, celebrated all things Chenango at the 163rd Chenango County Fair, which wrapped up Sunday.
Those in attendance enjoyed a wide variety of activities and entertainment including the 4-H and Firemen’s Parade, Tonny Peterson’s Hell Drivers, the Classic Car and Bike Cruise-In, a Tail Gate Cook-off, the Two x Two Petting Zoo, a pair of demolition derbies, the Coleman Brothers Carnival, a number of agricultural exhibits and more.
Performers this year included local acts such as Hailey and Shawn, the Beadle Brothers, Kaitlyn Jackson, Cassidy Lynn and Sundown, Gary Jennings, the Roundhouse Rockers, L.J. Gates and Chris Taylor and the Custom Taylor Band.
“I think we offer a diversity of entertainment, from local to national, every year and this year was no different,” said Chenango County Agricultural Society President Mary Weidman.
In addition, legendary guitarist and session man Les Dudek and American Idol finalist and country singer Josh Gracin performed on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
“This is what the fair is all about, people seeing friends in the short time before school starts and vacations end,” said Weidman. “This is one of those times when people get together and it’s become a tradition, a chance for people to experience the many exhibits and the fair in general.”
Fair Board Director Linda Marshman, this year’s Mrs. Chenango County Fair, said even the lousy weather couldn’t keep people away for the final day of festivities.
“Rain or shine, people tend to come out on Sunday anyway,” she added.
Weidman expressed her thanks to the approximately 125 local residents who came out to volunteer for this year’s fair, and said she believes the fair “couldn’t go on without them.”
“It starts with the superintendents who participate with the fair every year and coordinate the many exhibits,” stated Weidman, who added the volunteers help out in myriad ways, setting up and running booths, helping with the clean up and loaning out equipment. “It’s a testament to their dedication and we couldn’t go on without them.”
Long-time volunteer David Barnes said for him, it’s all about meeting and talking with the various people who visit each and every year, and that it’s “very fulfilling and it’s a tradition.”
“I think you make life-long friends here,” added Weidman.
Weidman also wished to thank the Coleman Family Carnival, who’ve been regulars at the Chenango County Fair, off and on, for over 90 years.
New to the fair this year were the Car and Bike Cruise-In and the Tailgate Cook-Off, and Weidman said the fair board is “hoping to expand these new events next year.
Weidman reported “no major problems” this year and said everything ran “pretty smoothly,” minus the cancellation of Thursday night’s NYTPA Tractor Pull, due to rain and poor track conditions..
“It would have been extremely dangerous and these are expensive pieces of equipment,” she added.
Planning has already begun for next year’s fair, and Weidman stated she and the board had begun signing contracts for the 2011 fair on Sunday afternoon.
“We do it because we love it,” said Weidman. “It all comes back to the agricultural aspect of the fair, it’s the core of our history, the directors representing the community and our local economy.”
For more information on the Chenango County Fair visit the Agricultural Society’s website, www.chenangocountyfair.homestead.com, or contact them by phone at 334-9198 or via e-mail at chenangofair@frontier.net.