Let's Go to the Fair!

When I was seven years old I spent a week walking through neighboring fields gathering wild flowers and then pressing them between the pages of dictionaries and encyclopedias. Each pressed flower and fern was then put in a book and labeled carefully, with the help of a family friend who was an expert on Island plant life. Upon finishing, I decided to enter my "Island Wild Flower Book" into the . To my delight, and genuine suprise, I was greeted with a blue ribbon the following day. It remains the only blue ribbon I ever won and I'm proud to say that I still have it.

My story is one of hundreds of thousands of kids who have toiled and tried year after year to earn that coveted piece of blue cloth printed with silver lettering from the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society (MVAS). It is more than just a ribbon; it is a "golden ticket" of sorts. One that allows its winners into the secret world of those who call themselves farmers, growers, weavers, bakers and mean it.

This year, the Ag Fair turns 150 years old. And other than the fact that it now takes place a stone's throw from its original location at the Grange Hall, there are more things about it that are the same than there are that are different.

In fact, the theme of the 150th fair is "Timeless Traditions." Fairgoers can find celebrations of such traditions in every corner. On Saturday, August 20 at 11:30 a.m., Trip Barnes will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the 35th Annual Woodsman's Fair. Look for awards given for skills such as Horizontal Log Chopping to Master Axe Throwing.

There's the Ox Pull on Thursday, August 18 at 10:30 a.m., the Antique Tractor Pull at 10 a.m. Saturday and the Clam and Oyster Shucking Contest at 4 p.m. on Saturday. And be sure to make time for the Women's Skillet Throw on Sunday at 3 p.m. All day, every day you can go to the Fiber Tent and see spinners, weavers, knitters and felters, sheep shearing and working dog demonstrations throughout the day.

Judging of exhibits in the will take place on Thursday morning and the Hall will be closed until all judging is complete. This is no small task, considering that in the hall you'll find a seemingly endless list of possible entries that include everything from jewelry, woodcraft, knitting, quilting, sewing, painting and photography (each with their own multitude of subsections) to canning and baking. Never mind the eggs, butter, vegetable growing and flower arranging. And these are just the adult categories. The junior categories are at least as long and most definitely as competitive.

Same goes for the livestock—with judging of cows, goats, pigs, oxen, horses, sheep, poultry and on and on. "There are always animals here for people to see. In fact, one of my favorite things to see here are the little children who are seeing cows and pigs for the first time," said Kathy Lobb, MVAS secretary and Ag Fair Hall manage.

The little ones (and the big ones, too) are sure to enjoy the rides and amusements provided by Cushing Amusements, who have been a part of the fair for 35 years. The aisles of food provided by local restaurants, farms and firemen also draw crowds.

"We really went all out for entertainment this year," said Lobb. The Grey Barn & Farm will be giving a cow-milking demonstration and Flat Point Farm will be giving a goat-milking and soap-making demonstration. To top that, "we've got the Flying Wallenda's Family Circus and Cousin Malcolm's Jumping Frogs," Lobb said. Another exciting addition to this year's entertainment are performances by Entrain, the Stragglers and Martina the Fire Dancer.

Old standbys like the Blue Hills Brass Quintet will be strolling the fairgrounds and "Kelly Peters will be back as well, which we're all excited about," said Lobb. The Acoustic Corner will be alive with groups like the Flying Elbows.

As of Sunday, there were already 1,000 entries and still another day left . Lobb and those whose job it is to get it all entries organized and on display have their work cut out for them. "We lost a few really key players this year," she said in regards to the passing of such community members as Jane Newhall, Ozzie Fischer and others. "I've never been here for a year that we didn't have Ozzie's gladiolas and dahlias," she said. But plans are in the works for ways to honor the memories of such lifelong Ag Fair participants.

With 150 years under their belts, the MVAS has a great deal to celebrate. Just what they've created over a century and half can be hard to ennumerate, but may be best summarized by the poem "A Call to the Fair," first printed in the Vineyard Gazette in 1894.

Come one and come all, buldiers, tradesman and preachers,/Come jewelers, clerks, harness-makers and blacksmiths;/And to each and all, just a moment wait/At the little office that's near the gate.

See you at the fair!

The Agricultural Fair takes place August 18-21 on the grounds of the in West Tisbury. Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on August 18-20, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on August 21. Admission is $8,$5 for children ages 5-12 and adults over 62. Children under 5 are admitted for fee.