Cape & Islands News

Fun, food & frenzy at the Barnstable Fair this week

   The Barnstable County Fair runs through next Saturday, and if you ride to the top of the Ferris Wheel you can see the entire fairgrounds the way a seagull sees it. Story & photos are by Diana Woebcke.

 Sharing Thrills, Making Memories is this year's theme

 By Diana Woebcke

From high atop the ferris wheel there is a birds-eye view of all the rides and most of the grounds at the Barnstable County Fair.  One of the oldest running fairs in our country, The Barnstable County Fair was established in 1844.  It is run and funded through the Barnstable County Agricultural Society as a non-profit
organization.

The ferris wheel is the tallest ride at the fair. Other rides include the Sizzler, the Zipper, bumper cars, a giant slide and a small roller coaster. 

At the fair, food consumption is an event all to itself.  There is so much to choose from and what appears to be an endless supply: fresh lemonade, frozen ice, corn dogs, smoothies, cotton candy, roasted meats, popcorn, sausage, hot dogs and so on.  There are a wide variety of french fries: german fries, curly fries, and onion fries.  There is a burrito stand and roast beef sandwiches. One vendor boasts having "the worlds best sundaes - undisputed".

The booths are full of games from shooting a fake rifle, to mastering the dunk shot, swinging a bat, squirting a squirt gun into a little round hole, popping a balloon with a dart, all to win the colorful stuffed animals in all shapes and sizes.  There is a man who claims he can guess your age within 2 years and your weight within 3 pounds.

There are music performances, farm animals and vendors selling jewelry, hand bags, clothing, all the usual stuff.  There is a puppet show, display of beekeeping, blacksmith, chain saw carver, spinning and weaving demonstration, and a livestock show. 

You can have your fast ball assessed in mileage and if you are feeling up for some physical exertion, you can climb Mount Rushmore.  There's a batting cage and a place where kids can get their faces painted or even get a fake tattoo.   The fun times are endless.  And in case you missed the circus this year, there is a tiger show.

Nerger's Tigers

Nerger's Tiger and Lion Show is a glimpse of the circus with live tigers and a lion.  The professional  lion tamers with 20 years experience are a couple from Germany who, with mastery, grace and
humor, take the cats through a series of jumps and poses.  The show is fast paced and in a very safe and secure cage located in the West end of the fairgrounds.

The cats are well fed and cared for, despite some criticism from onlookers wondering if they are alright.  After the show they are brought to their cages where they rest and are fed.

(There have been studies of longevity comparing animals in captivity to those in the wild.  Typically cats in the wild have higher mortality rates due to disease and famine.)

In the kids section is a petting zoo with lamas and baby goats.  As you walk further inside you will find such exotic animals as the Scarlet Macaw,  Australian Red Kangaroo,  South American Squirrel Monkey,  Argentinean Mara, Australian Emus and the African Serval - (a species of cat listed on CITES - the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species.) 

Some more highlights of the fair include: the 4-H club horse competition and show continuing on two rings throughout the week.  On Friday there is horse pulling and on Wednesday there will be a demolition derby.

Also on Wednesday there will be a bagpipe show. On Tuesday there is Championship figure eight race car racing in the Main Arena.

So, there is hours of fun to be had at the Barnstable County Fair.  Parking is limited, so try to arrive early as the free parking lot fills up first. Otherwise parking is $10.  Admission is also $10, children under 12 are free and seniors and those with a military ID admission is $8.

The photo montage on the right shows only a few of the many activities, performances and rides.  Corn Dogs and Funnel Cakes, Hot Dogs and Cotton Candy are always fair favorites, but there are concerts and animal acts as well as daily events in the area as well.

And be sure to let that man try to guess your weight within two pounds or your age within two years. 

Schedule:

Monday, July 23, 6:00 pm & 8:30pm - Syndicate
Tuesday, July 24, 7:30 pm - Championship Double Figure 8 Race
Tuesday, July 24, 6:00 pm & 8:30pm - Living Proof
Wednesday, July 25, 7:30 pm - World’s Largest Demolition Derby
Wednesday, July 25, 5:30 pm - Blue Montuna
Thursday, July 26, 7:30 pm - The Blues with Dan Lawson
Friday, July 27, 7:30 pm - The Oak Ridge Boys
Saturday, July 28, 7:30 pm - “American Idol’s” Bucky Covington

LINKS;
Barnstable County Fair site and YouTube at the fair

 The History 

The Barnstable County Agricultural Society held its first fair, consisting primarily of livestock and handicraft exhibits, in October of 1844 at the County Court House in Barnstable Village.

By the late 1800's and early 1900's, the County Fair had become the most popular annual event on Cape Cod. Some of the attractions were Grange exhibits, trotting horses, sulky racing, vaudeville acts, motorcycle racing, livestock exhibits, horse and oxen drags, fireworks and food tents, featuring clam chowder, homemade doughnuts and pies, and coffee, sponsored by local organizations. The children's Day and the Salt Hay Stack at the East Sandwich Grange were annual favorites.

Proceeds collected from ticket sales and exhibitor fees are re-invested in the Fairgrounds for capital improvements and mortgage repayments, awarded as scholarships to young people pursuing careers in agriculture, conservation or elated fields, or distributed to charitable causes.