From Thursday to Sunday, excited children and adults flocked to the West Tisbury fairgrounds and the 154th annual Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair. Once inside the gate, the alluring smells of tempura, fried dough, ribs, and a menu of good eats filled the air. Inside the Ag Hall, fair ribbons adorned a wide variety of baked goods, crafts, and artwork. Outside the hall, the sounds of squealing children rang out from the top of the Ferris wheel and a multitude of whirring, blinking, swirling rides.
The weather forecast for rainy weekend never materialized. For the most part, the weather was was largely sunny, with periods of clouds. A blanket of humidity added to the summer feel. On Saturday, fair manager Eleanor Neubert said the so-so weather was advantageous.
“I don’t think the weather has affected the crowd at all,” she said. “Everybody decided they couldn’t go to the beach, so here they are! We kind of like the clouds.”
The Agricultural Fair has been a mainstay of the Island summer since 1858, only pausing for several years during the war. This summer, Islanders and visitors remained excited as ever to watch pigs swim, tractors pull blocks of cement, and men holding chainsaws whittle away at chunks of wood. Ms. Neubert said this year’s fair showcased some new events.
“We have a few new events and entertainment, and we’ve had positive feedback,” she said. “There’s the kiddie pedal tractor pull; that was very, very popular. That was a new event this year for the little kids.”
She said the K-9 rescue dog show and Robert Clarke, otherwise known as “Lucky Bob,” who juggled and performed magic tricks, were big hits with the crowd.
Speaking Saturday, she told The Times she was happy with the way the fair was going.
“The Hall looks beautiful; the vegetables, flowers, quilts, the knitting, sewing, all of that looks great,” Ms. Neubert said. “The barn is full of livestock animals. We have a lot of oxen this year. This is the first year we’ve had to make a class for the junior oxen, the baby oxen, because there were three or four pairs of them, which we’ve never done before.”
She said the best part of the fair is its ability to cater to different audiences.
“There’s something for everybody,” she said. “Everybody has different likes. It might be the animals, it might be the exhibits, it might be the carnival rides, it might be certain local food booths.”
She said she knows people who plan their fair experience based entirely around the food. Her first stop, she said, is oftentimes the tempura booth, a mainstay food booth at the fair.
New this year was a “no dog” policy. For many years, fairgoers and their canine companions wandered the fairgrounds.
“I have to say that most people’s reaction is very positive,” Ms. Neubert said. “They are happy that we have instituted this. There’s a few that have been unhappy, that wish they could bring their dogs that have come for the past five years, but we appreciate the cooperation of all the dog owners.”
Before rushing off to the horse ring, she added that she was very pleased with this year’s fair.
“All in all,” she said. “I think it’s been a good fair.”
MVAS Dog Show Special Awards – 2015
Best Cross-Breed – given in memory of Cleopatra – Sparky (shown by Maeve & Ruby Luzzatto)
Best Beagle – given in memory of Bugle-Ann – Abby (shown by Kaya Seiman)
Best Great Dane – given in memory of Grace & Trouper – Archie (shown by Justin LaVigne)
Best Mixed Breed – given by John Rogers’ family – Susie (shown by Christie Swift)
Best Golden Retriever – given in memory of Shamrock & Marigold – My Buddy’s Fire N’Ice (shown byElsa & Jackson Gray)
Best Collie – given in memory of Lulu, Bubba & Zeus – Cricket (shown byAnnie Tumpowsky)
Best Chihuahua – given in memory of Jeanne Woods – Arabella Apricot (shown by Julia Murray)
Best Yorkshire Terrier – given in memory of Oliver – Ruby Begonia (shown by Mary McManama)
Animal Health Care Associates Award – given to youngest handler in Best In Show – Maeve Luzzatto
