Piscataquis Valley Fair returns for the 130th year Aug. 24-27

DOVER-FOXCROFT — This year marks the 130th anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2017 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 24 to Sunday, Aug. 27 at the fairgrounds located at 77 Fairview Avenue. The four days will feature exhibitions, rides, concerts, and fun for all ages.

The festivities begin on Thursday, Aug. 24 with the farm oxen weigh-in at 8 a.m. and open flower judging at 10 a.m. At noon the fire department museum, located next to the police building, exhibition halls, and Animal Land all open. The farm steer and oxen pulls also begin at noon and the midway rides open at 2 p.m.

Frisbee toss behind the ice cream parlor starts at 3 p.m. with the pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor at 4 p.m. The first bingo session begins at 4 p.m. as well.

Professional face painting begins at 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office.

Evening events for the first day of the fair will include milking parlor demonstrations at 6 p.m., figure eight mechanical truck competition at 6 p.m., The Wildwoods Band taking to the stage from 6-8:30 p.m., the He Man contest at 7:30 p.m., and then fireworks at 9 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 25 events will kick off with farm horse weigh-in at 9 a.m. and then the open sheep show at 10 a.m. and the youth dairy show at 11 a.m. The fire department museum, exhibition halls and Animal Land all open at noon, as does bingo. Tyler Healy will perform at the Gazebo from noon to 2 p.m., and Dan Grady performs his “Marvelous Marionette Medley” at 12:30 p.m. on the hill and later at 3:30 p.m.

Friday midway rides open at 2 p.m., as does the Conjuring Carroll Magic Show (another show will be at 6 p.m.), and a performance by Rich Stacey on the Gazebo. A relay race takes place behind the ice cream parlor at 3 p.m. A pedal tractor pull takes place at the milking parlor at 4:30 p.m. Professional face painting begins at 5 p.m., and The Breakers perform on the stage from 5-7 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. a bicycle drawing will be at the fair office.

At 6 p.m. will be a milking demonstration at the parlor and also at 6 p.m. will be the tuff truck competition at the track. The day concludes with the Allison Ames Band performing on the stage at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, Aug. 26 the horse pulling weigh-in begins at 6 a.m. and later in the morning the jumper show starts at 8:30 a.m. Farm tractor pulls at the mechanical track kick off at 10 a.m. Opening at 10 a.m. is the antique auto display, exhibition halls, fire department museum, horse pulling, Animal Land, youth beef cattle show, and cookie decorating on the hill.

The third annual Miss Maine Maple Pageant for girls in kindergarten through high school starts at 10 a.m. on the stage.

The midway rides will open at 11 a.m. and the skillet throw begins at 11:30 a.m. At noon will be bingo and Conjuring Carroll — with another demonstration at 3 p.m. In the tradition of Mark Twain, a frog jumping competition is slated for 1 p.m. as is a pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor. Dan Grady performs his Marvelous Marionette Medley on the hill at 2 p.m. and then at 6 p.m.

An animal costume parade begins at 3 p.m. and at 4 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office. A cookie stacking contest will be on the hill at 4:30 p.m. with a milking demonstration at the parlor at 6 p.m. Also at 6 p.m. will be truck pulls at the mechanical track and wrist wrestling — sign-ups are 5:30 p.m. by the police building. Saturday concludes with Sharon Hood & Dixon Road performing on the stage at 7 p.m.

The final day of the 2017 fair, Sunday, Aug. 27, has a horse weigh-in at 6 a.m. and the game horse show at 9 a.m. Also at 9 a.m. are the garden tractor pulls at the mechanical track, followed by horse pulling at 9:30 a.m. as well as Dan Grady performing his Marvelous Marionette Medley on the hill. Grady performs again at 3 p.m.

The doodlebug draw begins at 10 a.m. at the mechanical track. The exhibition hall, fire department museum and Animal Land all open at 10 a.m. From 10 a.m. to noon entrants for the pig scramble can sign up at the fair office. The pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor begins at 10:30 a.m. as does pie judging.

The midway rides open at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. will be a bubblegum blowing contest and the chicken BBQ is served at the dining hall at 11:30 a.m. The day’s bingo session starts at noon and the pig scramble in the pulling arena begins at 1 p.m.

The 2 p.m. hour features the pedal tractor pull off at the milking parlor. The demolition derby starts at 3 p.m.. The final bicycle drawing takes place at 4 p.m. at the fair office before this year’s fair formally closes at 6 p.m.

For more information on the 2017 Piscataquis Valley Fair. please go to www.piscataquisvalleyfair.com or see the fair page on Facebook.