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09/05/2023 12:24 PMSince 1942, farm, food, fun, family, and entertainment have guided the tradition of the annual North Haven Fair. The fair is set for Thursday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 10, at the North Haven Fairgrounds, 290 Washington Avenue.
“I’ve been here every year, and it is truly a North Haven tradition,” said volunteer Jim Munck. “Our vision has been agriculture and education. Directionally, we’re trying to do more and more of that because as farm life begins to fade out, as compared to when I grew up, there were farms all over North Haven; this is becoming less of a rural town. I think kids still need to have that understanding of where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture. Even the education to do home gardens, community gardens, things along that line.”
And while no fair is complete without a variety of food and beverage vendors, North Haven’s fair features 26 vendors. Food also plays a role in the fair’s competitions and educational displays as well.
“Some families actually have family competitions to see who wins the ribbons for the best cookies, and they will enter in the same category, and they compete against one another,” said Jeanne Lewis, a North Haven Fair official. “People meet here on specific days, and they have favorite foods and favorite exhibits. We’re trying to maintain the old school and bring in the new: maintain the old agriculture field but bring in new technology or [touch upon] how to recycle, or how to do things different in today’s society.”
Agricultural-based events include sheep shearing, tractor pulling, a petting zoo at Old MacDonald’s Farm, and cow and goat milking demonstrations.
“We’re in a much more urban area than the rest of the fairs in Connecticut. And so getting the agricultural word out to the communities is important,” said Lewis. “With that, we do have our exhibits that are mostly educational…The new farm museum has all the old farm equipment, so you can learn about and look at all the farm equipment that was pulled by the oxen.”
Aside from agriculture-based education and interactive events, there are plenty of other forms of activities and events to keep festivalgoers excited during the weekend. Live music and performance by Spotlight Stage Company on Saturday will take place at the gazebo and main stage of the fair. Games and rides, including a Ferris wheel, will be accessible to attendees via purchasable bracelets at the Carnival Ticket Booth.
One of the biggest events at this year’s fair is the kid-oriented Demolition Derby on Thursday, the first time the previously standalone event has been incorporated into the fair. The Figure 8 event will consist of what little drivers can produce the most “unforgettable, hard-hitting motorsport action,” for the prize of $800 and a trophy, reads the online details of the event
This year will also see the return of the “enchanted kids dance party” that Munck said proved popular with young festivalgoers last year. Activities centered around movement are also open to all ages at the fair.
“We’ve got family yoga and Zumba, we’ve got line country dancing,” said Lewis.
Country line dancing will take place on the main stage on Friday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. Kids’ yoga and family-friendly zumba will take place at the same location on Sunday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., respectively.
The excitement will continue with Sickline Carving, bringing chainsaw wood carving demonstrations daily.
Keeping an environmentalist mindset remains important for the fair with all the activities, food, and entertainment available. That is something that runs year-round, not just for when the fair comes around at the beginning of fall.
“We have a new garden put in that’s all recycled [based]. It’s concrete blocks; it’s old busted up concrete. It’s rocks, it’s tires, it’s milk baskets. It’s old pallets. We’ve created a whole garden so people that are not familiar with gardening can say, ‘Well, I can get my hands on a couple of concrete blocks, I can build this. I can make a compost pit out of pallets,’” said Lewis.
“I think that’s again a part of the educational aspect,” said Munck. “As we know, everybody is in to reduce, reuse, recycle, wherever you go. We clearly want to be on the cutting edge of educating people for it.”
The fair still has its Craft Series, where handmade items are sold, and a farmers market has been added to the fairgrounds as well.
Lewis and Munck said they are proud of the North Haven Fair as one of the major events of its kind in Connecticut. With its unique opportunities and exhibits in education stemming from its agricultural-based traditions, they are not looking to compete with other fairs, especially since North Haven’s continues to attract people from all around.
“We’re not looking for what [other fairs] are looking for. I think we’re looking for the education; we’re looking for agriculture. We’re looking for local, we’re looking for rural, and we draw people,” said Munck. “You start talking to the parents, and they come from all over—people from Durham, people from Orange, people from Massachusetts. They said, ‘We heard about this, we came last year, and it was such a good time. It’s just the right size for us…’ There’s enough to keep everyone’s attention and everyone occupied. There’s something for everyone.”
For more information on the fair and admissions, visit www.northhaven-fair.com.