‘Tis the season . . . for agricultural fairs. Hardwick, one of the neighboring towns, is holding its community fair this weekend, so having nothing better to do on a hot sunny summer day, I decided to attend the town’s 249th celebration of local agriculture.  First held in 1762, supposedly it is the oldest fair in the United States (I’ve heard others claim this distinction).

Compared to the other fairs I’ve been to (Sterling, Spencer, Woodstock), this one, held on the Hardwick Town Common, is quite small.  But all the activities and exhibitors you’d expect to be there are.  Of course I treated myself to ice cream from Rondeau’s and bought raw-milk cheese from the Robinson Farm vendor booth.  Here are some scenes from the Fair, in gallery format. Click on each thumbnail to view a 640×480 image, then use your browser’s Back button to view the next photo.