Guilford Fair Raises $33K, Shy Of Goal, But Helps Chip At Deficit

GUILFORD, CT — The 161-year-old Guilford Agricultural Society produces The Guilford Fair. It is not supported by tax dollars. Last year, the society was forced to cancel the fair due to the pandemic. And while that was disappointing for so many - to say the least -, what it meant to the society was possibly ruinous.

As Patch wrote about last August, the agricultural society was in desperate need of help as the pandemic didn’t just shutter the fair, many of its smaller but no less important events and fundraisers too were canceled.

The non-profit relies on event revenue and donations to maintain the more than 30-acre fairgrounds. It gets no taxpayer dollars but offers its property for town events at no charge, like fireworks or high school graduations. The society noted last summer that producing the fair, “sharing the property” for events, and caretaking the property is an “all volunteer labor of love with all monies netted plowed right back into future fairs.”

And so a GoFundMe was created last August — part of its COVID Recovery Campaign —with a goal of raising $50,000.

Stepping right up was the Guilford Foundation with a $10,000 donation. Over the past six months, nearly 70 donors have pledged almost $33,000. And while the society did not meet its fundraising goal, it came very close, thanks to dozens and dozens of donors, many making big dollar pledges.

Barbara Puffer, the organizer of the GoFundMe effort wrote last month that The Guilford Fair “made tremendous progress toward erasing our COVID year operating deficit.”

“We also have a few pledges yet to be realized. We still enter 2021 with a deficit although with the hope of widespread vaccination and opening, we look forward to seeing you at events again,” she wrote. “We plan to leave all of our fundraising doors open to our Guilford Agricultural Society. A wish for a super 2021 and good health for all.”

The Guilford Fair will go on this year and planning is under way.

Puffer said they have had "in excess of 200 donors overall on GoFundMe, through PayPal, by check, through the Foundation Challenge Grant, and generous business efforts such as Jersey Mikes."

"Although we expected a large deficit, donations and cost- and improvement project-cutting kept us very slightly in the black," she said.

But, as they work to reopen the fair, "already face a new $35,000 in bills to comply with pandemic guidance, laws and requirements. We are tiptoeing in and are grateful that donors continue to help us keep our operating side on track. We are also applying for grants. Thanks everyone for your support," Puffer said.

Leanr more about donating to the agricultural society and fair here.

"As we continue working to restore our solid financial footing, we are already beginning plans for a 2021 Fair in September," its website reads. The dates are Sept. 17, 18 and 19.

See you at the Fair!