Rides are ready and rows of prizes lined up, chickens and goats have settled down in temporary homes at the Agricultural Hall barn, the funnel cake pans are out of storage. Four days of fun are in store at the 156th Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Livestock Show and Fair, which takes place from Thursday, August 17 to Sunday, August 20.
The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. All the action takes place at the Agricultural Society grounds at 35 Panhandle Road in West Tisbury.
This year’s theme is See Ewe at the Fair, with a lively sheep by Kate Wignall adorning the fair poster.
Cushing Amusements returns with rides from the Ferris wheel to the Zipper, and the Ag Hall will be full of blue ribbon winners, from dahlias to pies to quilts (judging takes place Thursday morning; the hall will open in the afternoon, after the ribbons have been awarded). This year there are more than 3,500 entries.
Draft horses, oxen, and sheep will be greeting visitors at the barn.
Competition will heat up elsewhere on fair grounds. The 41st annual woodsman’s contest takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday and the Island’s top canines gather for the dog show at 10 a.m. Sunday. Robinson’s Racing Pigs are back to entertain several times each day. The women’s skillet throw goes down at 3 p.m. Sunday. This year the Silver Skillet award will go to the eldest competitor in the skillet toss event in memory of Judy Jahries.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children five through 12 and adults 62 and older. Children under five are free.
The Vineyard Transit Authority is offering bus service to the fair; those that take the bus will receive $1 off admission. Passengers should receive a hand stamp from the driver to receive the discount. For schedules and more information visit vineyardtransit.com. Parking is available nearby for a fee.
For a complete schedule of fair activities and more information, visit marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org.
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