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Date: 8/2/2022
HARDWICK – For the 260th year, the Hardwick Community Fair is set to return to the town green for a weekend full of demonstrations, exhibits, food, music and more.
The two-day event will begin on the evening of Aug. 19, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. On Aug. 20, the fair will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lisa Cohen, fair secretary, told Reminder Publishing that although this is the 260th annual fair, most offerings will look familiar to attendees from years past. “We try to keep the fair consistent as people expect to have their favorite things,” she said.
For instance, 4-H kids will be showing off their cattle and livestock. Additionally, Cohen said they will have commodities to enter from fruits and vegetables, flower arrangements, quilts, paintings and so on. All the categories are judged, and awards are provided to the winners, along with bragging rights, shared Cohen.
On Friday and Saturday, there will be several demonstrations including a blacksmith, pottery and stone cutting, to name a few.
Other events slated for the weekend include an antique tractor parade, a road and bike race, hayrides, horseshoes and more. “[We have] anything and everything that celebrates Hardwick history,” said Cohen, as the purpose of the fair is to showcase the town.
She shared that one of her favorite events year after year is the scarecrow competition. Here, people can show their creative side by dressing or decorating a scarecrow however they choose. The final products are judged and awarded.
Cohen went on to say that some of the competitions, such as the cattle showing, include monetary prizes or other small awards.
For many, their favorite part of a fair is the food. At the Hardwick Fair, Cohen said there will not be any outside food trucks or vendors. “We try to keep [the fair] small and local,” she explained. “All [the] food vendors we own.”
Some of the fare available include hamburgers, hot dogs, hand cut French fries, loaded baked potatoes, locally made ice cream, cotton candy and a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning from 7:30 to 10 a.m.
Cohen noted that there is also a beer and wine garden that was added to the fair about five or six years ago.
In comparison to a larger scale fair, Cohen said the Hardwick Fair does not have rides. However, she assured that there will be a lot of activities and children’s games for entertainment. Options include an obstacle course, frog jumping, potato sack races, egg toss, face painting, spin art and more.
There are several local organizations that set up on the green such as Workshop13 in Ware and the Hardwick Youth Program. The Hardwick Youth Program is responsible for operating the children’s games. “It’s a very local effort,” said Cohen.
She continued, “It’s a small fair but it has a big footprint.”
Depending on the year and weather, Cohen said attendance varies. However, in previous years, she recalled having nearly 5,000 attendees spread out over the two-day event.
The fair always occurs on the third weekend in August and takes place rain or shine.
This year’s fair is dedicated to Mark Korzec. Cohen explained that Korzec and his family have been a part of the fair for years, and typically, the board will dedicate each fair to a seasoned individual.
For members of the community who have never attended the Hardwick Fair, Cohen described it as a “great time” for everyone.
She went on to say that nobody, including her, gets paid for volunteering. “This could not happen without the passionate engagement of hundreds of people,” she said. “It’s worth all the hours, meetings, emails… It’s such a joyful weekend. It’s a whole community effort.”
To attend the fair, there is no cost for admission or parking. Cohen said there is extensive signage to assist in directing people where to park. She added that there is a parking lot right before the town green along with space at Eagle Hill School. There will be shuttles traveling between the parking lots and the town common to drop off and pick up fairgoers.
Cohen noted that dogs are not allowed at the fair, aside from service dogs.
A protracted list of the 2022 fair schedule can be found online at https://www.hardwickfair.com/program.
For additional information on the 260th annual Hardwick Community Fair, visit https://www.hardwickfair.com/.