Save The Dates: Guilford Fair Set For Sept. 20 Through 22

This information is from the Guilford Agricultural Society: 

HISTORIC AGRICULTURAL FAIR SET FOR SEPT. 20 THROUGH 22 IN GUILFORD

 The excitement is building and Guilford Agricultural Society members -- producers of the Guilford Fair -- are planning for another fun-filled country fair. The Fair is Sept. 20 through 22, at the Guilford Fairgrounds.  One gate admission covers all shows, displays and exhibits inside.  Rides and refreshments are extra.

This year, the Guilford Agricultural Society is celebrating Guilford’s horticultural heritage, said Guilford Agricultural Society president John Hammarlund.  A photo from the Pinchbeck Rose Farm -- now operating as Roses for Autism -- founded in 1927 and Guilford’s oldest greenhouse, graces the cover of the 2013 Exhibitors’ Guide.  “This year, I especially want to recognize our local farmers,” Hammarlund said.  “The weather this year has made farming quite a challenge.  In spite of these extreme weather conditions, local farmers have pulled up their bootstraps and have toiled to do whatever they needed to do to keep their farms going.”

EXHIBITORS’ GUIDES;   Entrants will want an exhibitor guide.  They are available at many area locations including Page Hardware, Royal Printing, A Flash Studio, Lakeside Feed, Bishops Farm Market and Guilford Town Hall, all in Guilford; Agway and Country Paint and Hardware in North Branford; Gator Creek Farm in Clinton; Scranton Library in Madison; and Medlyn’s Farm in Stony Creek.  Rules and entry forms are also available online at www.guilfordfair.org.  The deadline to enter for most categories is Saturday, September 14, but some, such as some animals, are earlier.  Please check the book or the website.  Entry delivery dates from September 14-19, depending on the class(es) entered.

ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCED:  The Guilford Fair this year boasts three concerts. 

·     Draw the Line, an endorsed Aerosmith Tribute Band, Friday night at 8:30.  Raised in Boston, MA, this band will thrill you with the memories of the 70's, bring you the feel of the 80's and add all the exuberance of the 90's.  Reviewers say that the true distinction in the show is the Steven Tyler doppelganger Neill Byrnes.  Not only does he naturally look like the infamous Rock Icon, but his voice naturally sounds like Tyler!  "They ARE the best,"  said Steven Tyler himself.  Byrnes was born & raised in the Boston area and has been a musician since the age of 9.  Starting with the trombone, then drums, then bass and eventually graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music.  Early on, he met Tyler at a lookalike contest and Tyler was so impressed by his raw talent that he referred Neill to his personal vocal coach.  Byrnes spent 10 years in vocal training with Tyler's vocal coach Mark Baxter during college at Northeastern University and beyond.  Although he received his degree cum laude in Psychology, Byrnes nevertheless decided to pursue his musical interest through Draw the Line.

 -- More --

·     Nashville trio The Farm performs Saturday night at 8:30.  THE FARM -- deeply rooted in Country Music -- folds in elements from a variety of popular-music genres – but the core is built around a solid, identifiable vocal harmony.  Nick Hoffman, Damien Horne and Krista Marie put their own distinct spin on the sound. THE FARM’s unified blend is an aural representation of the melting-pot mentality at the heart of America.  “There are a lot of bands out there that you could take a member out and not know the difference,” Nick, the fiddle-playing singer, notes. “This is not one of those bands.” Hits include Home Sweet Home and Be Grateful.

·     The Signature Band -- a high-energy, Connecticut-based group --  will play two shows Sunday, at noon and 2:30. Band members have more than 200 years collectively in the music business.  Enjoy a range of tunes including dance, blues, Motown, rock, and current artists such as PINK, LADY GAGA, ADELE, JESSIE JAY, KATY PERRY, BRUNO MARS, and more. 

All ages will delight in the popular free family circus featuring The Flying Wallendas, with The Human Canonball, and The Nerveless Nocks with Paulo Rodriguez on the Giant Wheel.  And how about David Garrity’s Illusion Quest, Records & Burpee children’s zoo, donkey/mule and llama shows, rides and midway by Rockwell Amusements, craft/agricultural and animal exhibits, pony and camel rides, livestock and tractor pulls, new exhibit buildings, and more.   Multiple shows are scheduled daily.  A Saturday morning parade steps off at 10 at the historic Guilford Green. 

ABOUT THE FAIR --  SINCE 1859:  A Library of Congress Local Legacy staged by the non-profit Guilford Agricultural Society since 1859, the Guilford Fair provides fun for all ages with continuous entertainment, exhibitions, demonstrations, food for every palate and carnival rides by Rockwell Amusements.  One admission at the Main Gate covers all entertainment and exhibits.  Rides and refreshments are extra.  Admission for children age five and under is always free.

SEE “GUILFORD FAIR FAST FACTS” BELOW.

Guilford Fair Fast Facts

Hours: are Fri., Sept. 20, 1-11 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 9 a.m. -11 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 22, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Huge, free, Guilford Fair Day Parade, 10 a.m., Sat. Sept. 21, Guilford Town Green.

Admission:  General Admission, $10; seniors 60 and older, $8; children 6 to 11, $5; five and under, free; and three-day discount passes $25.  One admission at the Main Gate covers all entertainment, exhibits and demonstrations.  Rides and refreshments are extra.  Parade is free.  ATM on site.

Parking:  Free parking and shuttle buses at Exit 57, off I-95.  Parking on site is $5.00. 

Fair Entries due:  Most due September 14.   Some exceptions.  Mail completed entry forms from the Exhibitors’ Guide or downloaded from the internet; or enter in person at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 14.  Entries must be delivered between Sept. 14 and 19, depending on the category(s) entered and must remain in place until the close of the Fair at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Visit www.guilfordfair.org

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Visit the Guilford Fair on Facebook

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Leave a message at the Fair office, 203-453-3543.