By Alyssa Thurlow | Published: Aug. 25, 2021 at 5:36 PM EDT
DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine (WABI) – A family oriented, country fair makes its return to Dover-Foxcroft this week.
The 134th Piscataquis Valley Fair begins Thursday.
“This is a true agricultural fair,” said Piscataquis Valley Fair president, Rusty Weymouth. “Everybody has their own reason for coming, and a lot of it is just family tradition.”
Families from all over New England are set to make their way to the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds this weekend.
After a year off due to the pandemic, organizers are ready to bring back the fun to the area.
“This year’s fair, we’re hoping to be bigger and better than eve,” said Weymouth. “Everybody is anxious to go since COVID-19 shut everybody down last year. If we stay true to form, every fair so far this year has had really large numbers.”
In a typical year, they could see up to 13,000 people or more come through the gates.
They’re expecting a big crowd this year, too, even with COVID-19 precautions in place.
“We’ll have wash stations all over the place along with hand sanitizers and that type of stuff. There will be some masks available if they really want them,” he explained.
Fair favorites will make their return – everything from the food to the rides, games, exhibits, and live entertainment.
That entertainment includes mechanical events.
“We’re big into the motorized,” said Weymouth. “We have a figure eight race on Thursday and Saturday is pulling all day long – trucks and tractors. Saturday, we have four demolition derbies.”
This year’s fair is dedicated to longtime member Andrew “Andy” Libby of Charleston.
Libby died unexpectedly earlier this year at the age of 68.
The fair will honor him Saturday afternoon.
“The whole family, the Libby family, will all be here, so hopefully, people will come out and pay respects to Andy and watch some good pulling,” said Karna Johnson, Pulling Superintendent for the Piscataquis Valley Fair.
And, what would a fair be without all the animals?
“A lot of the animals that we’ll have here this weekend have pulled in the woods, twitching out firewood for people, haying, and I think it’s just the history of what draft animals represent for the state of Maine,” said Johnson.
“Come for the fair. Come for the food. Come for the entertainment. If we ain’t got it, you don’t need it,” said Weymouth.
Click here for a full fair schedule.
Source: Piscataquis Valley Fair returns for its 134th year (wabi.tv)