Our four and a half month house sit in Heath, MA is coming to an end. From the moment Mark and I arrived here in April, there was a lot of talk about one event we should not miss: the annual Heath Fair in August. So, we marked the dates in our calendar and found out what all the fuss was about, last weekend. To fully experience the atmosphere, we volunteered at the gate for two hours on Friday evening and on Saturday. The Heath Fair turned out to be an extremely popular attraction (much busier than the Reggae Festival in Charlemont) and the weather was gorgeous. We went two of the three days and that was enough for us. On Sunday, we resumed our usual weekend hiking with dog Jenny.
The fairgrounds
Entertainment for all
Animals
The exhibition hall
The main attractions
Next year is the 100th edition of the Heath Fair!
Are there annual fairs or other major celebrations in your area? Do you go every year?
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August 27, 2016 at 10:21
Fairs are always fun. Been to many. Great pics.
August 29, 2016 at 09:44
Thanks, Scott. I think they are the most fun when you know some of the people you run into. That’s what I enjoyed best when I went to fairs in my home town, many years ago. 🙂
August 27, 2016 at 11:07
My Beloved Sandra and I had our first date 25 years ago at the 4th of July fireworks, held at the Orleans County Fairgrounds. The fair itself is late in August, an event we try not to miss.
August 29, 2016 at 09:45
That’s so great! 25 years. Congratulations, Ron. Have you been able to repeat the date every year? Sounds like the Orleans County Fairgrounds have many more events going on than the Heath Fairgrounds. 🙂
August 27, 2016 at 12:40
That looks like fun! We have an annual county fair here that we attend just about every year… crowded, same ole, same ole… but always a satisfying way to spend the day.
August 29, 2016 at 09:47
They do have their charm and many people look forward to going for the longest time. Sometimes the same ole familiar things bring pleasure as well, especially when you meet people you haven’t seen in a while.
August 27, 2016 at 14:22
We have all kinds of county fairs and summer festivals all around us. I enjoyed them much more when I was younger, and able to get around easier.
August 29, 2016 at 09:48
The summer is such a fun time for all these fairs and events. Good memories!
August 27, 2016 at 15:23
Lots of em. Liesbet! 🙂 Almost every village in Yorkshire has it’s show sometime between July and August. I couldn’t possibly go to them all!
August 29, 2016 at 09:49
Wow! No wonder you can’t stay home, Jo! Luckily, most of them are probably quite similar, so you feel like you get a good sense of them when going to a few. You live in such a vibrant and exciting area!
August 28, 2016 at 10:55
Looks like a great community!
August 29, 2016 at 09:50
It is a very diverse crowd that lives around here. Too bad we didn’t really make friends. Maybe on our next house sit… We do miss our social times.
August 29, 2016 at 09:05
The zucchini critters are so creative! Seeing the animals reminds me of South Florida Fair I went to earlier this year. It was neat to see all of the bunny rabbits that the folks had entered and see who won what prizes.
August 29, 2016 at 09:52
I think most of these fairs are quite similar. The Heath one is still very low key and they try to keep it that way, pretty old-fashioned. And, it being in Massachusetts, no selling of beer or wine again! 🙂
August 29, 2016 at 13:22
I haven’t seen a tractor pulling contest for many years. Being form a rural area in Canada they do seem to be popular! Of course we have the Calgary Stampede each year so a similar event on a massive scale.
Looking forward to reading of your next adventure as you move on. Best wishes!
August 29, 2016 at 16:49
Yes, I think the Calgary Stampede could be the giant sister of this little fair! Those events are definitely a thing and a charm related to rural living. Thanks for keeping track of me, Sue! 🙂
September 5, 2016 at 02:55
Like an American Storybook. Lovely photos. Makes me miss my childhood (Lake Bluff 4th of July, Lake Forest Days and The Lake Country Fair were staples of my child hood summers)
September 5, 2016 at 15:59
I guess these fairs are very Americana. I hadn’t thought about it like that before. When I grew up, in Belgium, every town had their annual “carnival” with amusement rides and stuff and one day during that week event, farm animals were showcased and inspected for prizes; a bit similar than the agricultural fairs here…