| FEBRUARY 15, 2011 -- Labor Day in Haddam has — for 100 years — been synonymous with the Haddam Neck Fair, a major agricultural event that draws people from far and wide.
Although Labor Day Weekend may seem a long way off, the Haddam Neck Fair will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Sept. 2-5.
The first Haddam Neck Fair held on the present fairgrounds along Quarry Hill Road was in 1911. Two earlier fairs were held in 1909 and 1910 in the field behind what was once the Methodist Church (later Bailey’s Garage) on the East Hampton town line, but the events were so successful, property was purchased for a permanent home.
The first Labor Day event was organized by the Haddam Neck Grange No. 177 P. of H. and after 1911, the event was managed by an offshoot of the grange, the Haddam Neck Grange Agricultural Association (later the Haddam Neck Fair Association).
The fair has been held every Labor Day weekend since then, except for two years during WWII. For many years, the fair was held only on the Labor Day Monday.
In 1958, the fair was expanded to two days, Sunday and Labor Day. In 1981, it was expanded to cover all three days of the weekend and recently, Friday night was opened to the public.
The 1911 fair featured more than 200 head of cattle, fruit, vegetable and fancy work displays and a midway featuring a fortune-telling gypsy. The hot dog man sold more than 50 pounds of “all hots” and ice cream sold out by 2 o’clock Monday afternoon.
Activities included shinning the greasy pole and many local families decorated horse- and cattle-drawn carts. A turkey dinner was served by the local ladies for 50 cents with “all the fixin’s” and homemade pies.
The heart of the fairgrounds is the historic fair hall which was constructed in 1911 and features a kitchen, exhibit and meeting space and a stage on the second floor. A large stone fireplace is the focal point on the ground floor room and exhibits the 1911 date.
The front displays a “porte cochere,” a covered drive, which allowed carriages, and later, cars, to drop off passengers at the entrance protected from the weather.
The fair provided an opportunity for farmers to display their livestock and crops and for local women to show off their canned goods, preserves, knitting, sewing and flowers. Haddam Neck residents participated in every way — from selling cigars and candy to running the shooting gallery.
In 1912, the Hartford Courant reported that “the success of the fair is due in great part to the fact that nearly every family on the Neck takes a personal interest in it.”
This is still true today.
As times changed, so did things at the fair. Parking lots were added when the automobile became the main form of transportation. Additional buildings were constructed, including a refreshment building, bandstand, cow barn, poultry barn, scale house, an office building and most recently a post-and-beam educational barn, which replaced the old poultry barn,which was destroyed by fire in 2006.
Electricity was installed and a second ring was added for horses and tractor pulls.
Attractions and entertainment also changed over the years. In the early years, entertainment included aerial performers from Coney Island, vaudeville programs and concerts by area bands, including the Crescent Band of Haddam Neck and the Middlesex Country Band.
For many years, a staple of the fair was the roasted turkey dinner prepared by the Ladies of Haddam Neck. Other highlights included the athletic events, including the 50-yard dash and shotput and the very popular baby show.
In the mid-20th century, amusement rides were added to the midway, but the country flavor of the fair remained. Longtime fairgoers recall motorcycle shows, a parachute drop into the parking lot and chasing the greased pig. In the past few years, the fair has featured skillet tossing, a beard contest and bubble-blowing contest.
In the past 100 years, many things have changed, but the essence of the Haddam Neck Fair remains the same: a genuine country fair. The fair continues to be run by local volunteers who work very hard throughout the year to make the event a success.
During the summer, work nights are held on Wednesdays and neighbors and friends from nearby towns show up to paint, hammer, garden and help out in any manner. On Labor Day weekend, residents still enter their vegetables, flowers, chickens and cows.
There are still oxen pulls, although the truck and tractor pulls are now just as popular. Greased pigs have given way to pig races, but homemade baked goods are still available at many church booths.
The fair remains small and friendly and a great place to bring the family for fun, food and a fantastic time and we hope you can join us for the 100th in 2011.
Fair President Dianne McHutchison and Haddam Historical Society Director Elizabeth Malloy are working on a pictorial history of the fair covering the last 100 years. They are looking for photographs and memorabilia of all aspects of the fair from 1911-2010 that could be used in the publication.
Contact Dianne McHutchison (president, Haddam Neck Fair Association) at rdmchutchison@sbcglobal.net or Elizabeth Malloy (director, Haddam Historical Society) at director@haddamhistory.org with photographs to share. Share memories of the fair at haddamneckfairhistory.blogspot.com. |
