This year’s 162nd annual Ag Fair, put on by the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, welcomed visitors and Islanders of all ages to enjoy rides, eats, and farming installations.
The fair’s typical rides and games could be spotted upon first entering the fairgrounds, with colorful stuffed animals lining the prize walls of each game.
As per tradition, the inside of the Agricultural Society housed art contests, with first through third place winners showcased in a range of mediums, from painting and photography to knitting and sculpture.
“It was a wonderful fair. We had great attendance and it was consistently busy,” said Lauren Lynch, fair manager and president of the Ag Society. “It wasn’t bigger, it was just better.”
Lynch gave support to the Ag Society staff and hundreds of volunteers that make the fair possible this year, and every fair before. “My heart is always filled to the brim after the fair knowing how hard everyone works to make it happen.”
Some of the highlights this year was a record number of oxen for the oxen pull, with about 50 cattle participating; Lynch said that overall, the barn was also filed with animals. “It brought a smile to everyone going in there to see the number of animals,” she said.
Of course, aside from the rides, face painting and contests, were the two rows of food vendors with more than 20 options to choose from. All the booths at the fair remained busy early Saturday afternoon, but a line began to form outside one in particular: Bobby B’s.
Elio Silva, owner of Bobby B’s, described how the booth makes their unique bright purple acai bowls, which he named the most popular item they sell at the fair.
“We bring the berries from Brazil, and we make the acai here,” said Silva. “When you bring it over already made, it has added stuff in it. How we make it, it tastes very different.”
With a neighboring restaurant and bakery in Vineyard Haven, they’ve served the Island community for some time. This is only their third year at the fair, Silva said.
In a similar, fast-paced fashion, about five servers behind a colorful booth titled “Solar Cafe” shouted out orders and put together plates for hungry fair-goers. Harley Richards, in front of the booth, said this is only Solar Cafe’s second year at the fair.
“We’ve been doing Beach Road Weekend for a while where we got asked to come here. We kind of just move from festival to festival all over the east coast,” Richards said.
Solar Cafe also offered vegan options, which is something new that contrasts the other, more traditional, fair food-type booths.
“The most popular is the peanut stir fry for sure,” said Richards. “It’s an old Jamaican recipe.”
Although a couple of booths have gained popularity at the fair in recent years, fans still lined up for their favorite traditions, like Mad Martha’s ice cream, wood-fired pizza, and, of course, various kinds of fried food — including fried Oreos.
Crowds moved in and out throughout Saturday afternoon, amongst the food booths and throughout the spread of games, rides and art. The longest line, as per tradition, was for the ferris wheel sitting right at the entrance, with at least 15 people winding out into the fairgrounds.
