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Date: 7/18/2022
BELCHERTOWN – After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Belchertown Fair returns to the Belchertown common from Sept. 23 through Sept. 25.
Longtime Fair Committee member Cindy Brown sat down with Reminder Publishing to discuss the importance of the fair and what people can expect from its return.
“Belchertown Fair is a lifelong tradition; it is 163 years old, minus a couple years, and it’s a community event. It honors the agricultural roots of the community and is a composite of the community groups coming together to celebrate Belchertown,” she said.
Over the fair’s three day run, Brown said people have plenty of attractions to look forward to.
“It’s got a social tent that has a large venue of different kinds of music all weekend long, there’s a kid’s tent that has different kinds of activities for youngsters, there’s a pulling area that has a traditional horse pull on Saturday and on ox pull on Sunday,” she said. “There is a large exhibit hall that people put their wares in and get judged on.”
As with every year, Brown said the fair includes a mix of new and returning vendors and attractions.
“In the midst of that there is old stuff – with a nod to tradition – new stuff – up-and-coming artists – and everything you would think about with a fair. There’s a large amusement park that is put together by Fiesta Shows and then about 85 vendors who have all kinds of food and wares to sell,” she said.
One of the highlights of the fair is the parade, which takes place on Sept. 24.
“On Saturday afternoon there is a large parade, it starts at noontime, and it goes down Main Street,” Brown said.
While the Big E takes place at the same time, Brown said the Belchertown Fair is a free alternative.
“People ask us how we run at the same time as the Big E, and we run because we’re free for people. We’re self-supporting and it doesn’t cost anything to come except for your parking. You can come and spend your whole day and do everything you want to do,” she said. “Short of paying for rides you can fill your day with activities for your family and not have to spend a dime.”
Brown added that COVID-19 was not the first time the fair has been put on hiatus because of a pandemic, and discussed the challenges of the two cancellations.
“It was very difficult, it was stopped twice in the early 1900s because of the worldwide flu epidemic, two years ago we canceled early in the year because it was clear to us that we weren’t going to be able to run. Last year we came pretty close to the end and then we had to call because COVID [-19] was really reaching significant incidents in the community and we didn’t want to become a spreader event,” she said.
With the fair just over two months away, Brown said preparations are in full swing with the goal of having one of the biggest fairs yet.
“Now we’re back and we’re planning, we’re doing our best and we’re hoping this year’s going to be bigger and better. Our theme is ‘Flock to the Fair,’ which I know people are eager to do after two years off,” she said.
Other than any potential COVID-19 resurgence, Brown said the committee’s biggest challenge is finding volunteers to help work and prepare for the fair.
Brown also discussed the unique challenge of hosting the fair on the common and not at a fair ground.
“We are in operation for a week, on the Sunday before the fair we set up our tents and move our stuff in, everything comes to play.
On Wednesday the commercial vendors move in and then start setting their stuff up. Then on Friday we open and by Monday morning we are essentially off the common, with the exception of our big tents that we need to dry before we put them away for the fall,” she said.
Brown said she was looking forward to seeing everyone get out to celebrate Belchertown.
“There’s nothing like having the community come together and celebrating each other,” she said.
For more information about the fair head online to www.belchertownfair.com.