Harmony Labor Day Free Fair will be Aug. 30 to Sept. 2
HARMONY — The Harmony Labor Day Free Fair opens Friday night, Aug. 30, with a ribbon cutting at the fair’s newest and largest building. The multiuse structure will showcase both fiber arts and the animals that produce the raw materials. Daily demonstrations will include spinning and hand carding.
Contributed photo
NEW FOR 2013 — The newest building at the Harmony Labor Day Free Fair is the fiber arts and livestock barn. This year’s fair will take place Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
Put on by the Patriarchs Club, a local community betterment organization, the Harmony Fair does not charge for admission or parking, a 66-year-long tradition. The fair offers something for everyone, from a truck pull on Friday night to a demolition derby on Saturday to free live concerts. Seven musical groups —C.P.S. Express, Crossin’ Mason Dixon, Bob Elston & the Road Rangers, Friday Night Jammers, Amanda Landry, Opus One Big Band and String Field Theory — perform on stage over the holiday weekend.
An exhibition hall showcases local produce and crafts. Built jointly by the Patriarchs Club and the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department, the building houses fire apparatus and ambulance equipment the rest of the year. A wide variety of contests offer fun and friendly competition. A cribbage tournament, arm wrestling for both youths and adults, a horseshoe tournament, foul shooting contest, and frog jumping are just a few.
Premiums have been increased this year for both the draft horse and oxen events on Saturday and Sunday. A doodlebug pull takes place Sunday afternoon. The fair’s website, www.harmonyfreefair.org, provides more information. A talent show on Sunday evening offers over $300 in cash prizes. Later, a crowd favorite, the fireworks display, lights up the town.
After the fireworks on Sunday, Sept. 1, the Aliza Jean Family Cancer Foundation will have a remembrance balloon release “Liza’s Lights of Love.” They will be selling LED balloons by donation and encourage people to purchase a balloon in memory of a lost loved one.
Labor Day begins with a parade, and this year, cash awards for the best floats have increased to a top prize of $150. The parade also features antique cars and tractors, fire trucks, and much more. The horse show, a longstanding tradition in Harmony, begins after the parade.
Food is an important part of any fair, and the Harmony Labor Day Free Fair offers a wide variety. Both Sunday and Monday feature a chicken barbeque and local organizations, including the Harmony and Wellington Volunteer Fire Departments, have booths on the grounds.
Volunteer is a word often heard in Harmony. Patriarchs Club President Jeff Chadbourne noted the strong sense of volunteerism in the town, citing the fire department, Harmony Regional Ambulance Service, the Community Center and the many activities that are done for the children of Harmony as examples.
The 66th Harmony Labor Day Free Fair closes on Monday evening, Sept. 2 with a grand prize drawing. Tickets are sold both before and during the fair, and the grand prize winner can choose between a chain saw and a grass trimmer, both donated by Morrison’s Garage. Planning for 2014 begins the next day.