150 Years of Fun!

For some islanders, it's Illumination Night that gets their motor going. For others, it's just the general excitement of our swelling population, the thrill and anticipation thick in the air. For me, the diamond in the rough, and the highlight of my summer, is the Agricultural Fair each August. And while every summer of the past few years has seen me at the Ag Fair, this is the first year that I've been fully prepared to take part. Sure, I always go to see the animals, admire the skill of the woodsmen as they chop away. I never miss watching the piglets race around their little track (for Oreos!, how cute!) and of course I always get (more than) my fill of the firemen's hamburgers and funnel cake. But this year I'll be one of the hundreds of participants in the Ag Fair's hall exhibits.

Each year, the Ag Hall is filled to the brim with handmade crafts, baked goodies, homegrown veggies, and flowers of every color, size and shape.  From the tallest sunflower to the smallest bonsai tree, everyone loves to show off their hard work.  This year, I thought I'd bring my own handiwork to the table. The long, lonely winter here on the Island was spent doing a lot of crocheting and crafting, and my spring was spent trying to make things grow. Lucky for me, there are categories at the Fair for just that! I'll be presenting my crafts and flowers, as well as some of my baked goodies, and hoping that my stitches are tight and even, my muffins are fluffy, and that my flowers have bloomed just so! While I'm not expecting a ribbon of any kind (although the prize money for even third place would be nice to offset the cost of all the yummy things to eat and games to play!), I'll be happy just to be part of the excitement of the fair.  

The MVAS, established in 1859, has been bringing friends and neighbors together with good food and fun times for 150 years now!  And while the Fair was originally held at the Grange Hall, near the Chilmark line in West Tisbury, its not hard to imagine generations past, in old-timey dress, walking the mid-way or sipping lemonade under a tree. This year's theme: Timeless Traditions. Timeless, indeed!  Here's to another 150 years, MVAS!

Are you entering anything to the exhibit hall?  Remember that the deadline to submit entry forms is this coming Monday, August 15th, at 5 p.m.!  Don't be late!  The fair committee will be present at the Ag Hall at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning until things get slow, then 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day of the entry deadline.  There's still time for you to join the fun, don't be shy!

The Ag Fair will be held from Thursday, August 18 to Sunday, the 21st.  The exhibit hall opens on Thursday morning/afternoon as soon as all of the judging has concluded.  Check the MVAS website for more details, and don't forget to check out their Facebook page.  If you've got questions, they've got answers.

So get your garden veggies scrubbed and ready, and put on those roomy pants for some delicious treats!