Take A Peek At What Maine Fairs Were Like 40 Years Ago

Agricultural fairs are a way of life here in Maine.  We don't just have a lot of fairs, we have some of the biggest (and best) fairs in New England.

The Windsor Fair, the Fryeburg Fair, the Bangor State Fair, the Skowhegan Fair, and the Monmouth Fair, just to name a few.

With the exception of 2020, for obvious reasons, most of us spend at least a few days a year at the various fairs in our region.  For some, traveling to the state's biggest fairs is a way of life.

We all know what fairs are like in the 00s, but what were they like in the 70s and 80s?  Thanks to an old WCSH 6 news report from back in 1980, we get a look at what an early 1980s fair was like.  The report explains how quickly a bare field was turned into a fairground.

Check it out:

According to the fair's website, the fair got its start in 1977 when a group of residents, inspired by the bicentennial revival of the Cornish Fair, vowed to continue to hold a fair in the area.  For the first few years, the Ossipee Valley Agricultural Society hosted a fair at the Cornish Fairgrounds.  In need of space for the fair to expand, the broke ground on a new space in late spring of 1980.  The first Ossipee Valley Fair kicked off on July 10th of 1980.

This year's Ossipee Valley Fair runs from Thursday, July 8th through Sunday, July 11th.  The fair will features the grand parade, midway, games, a car show, vendors, and more.