PISCATAQUIS VALLEY FAIR

2013 edition of the Piscataquis Valley Fair offers something for everyone from Thursday to Sunday

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — This year marks the 126th anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2013 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Aug. 25 at the fairgrounds located at 77 Fairview Avenue. The four days will feature exhibitions, rides, concerts and fun for all ages.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
Bottom: Observer file photo/Jeannette Hughes

    THE PULL OF THE FAIR — Last year marked the 125th anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, and this year’s events will take place Aug. 22-25 at the fair grounds in Dover-Foxcroft. Among the fair activities in 2012 was horse pulling as, Justin Libby and his horses Sam and Mike dragged the sled 156 feet, 4 inches. Above right, four teams of oxen are prepared for the first such pulling in the event at the Piscataquis Valley Fair in a number of years.

    The festivities begin on Thursday, Aug. 22 with the farm oxen weigh-in at 9 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 oxen twitch, scoot and pull also begins at noon and the midway rides will open at 2 p.m. Laser tag opens at 2:30 p.m. in the hockey rink, and also at 2:30 p.m. String Field Theory takes to the stage.
    The milking parlor will be the site of a pedal tractor pull at 4 p.m. to be followed by a milking demonstration at 6 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    BLACK SHEEP OF THE FAMILY — Throughout the four days of the Piscataquis Valley Fair are various competitions judging farm animals such as sheep.

    Evening events for the first day of the fair will include a figure eight mechanical truck competition at 6 p.m., a He-Man Contest at 7:30 p.m. and then fireworks at 9 p.m.
    Friday, Aug. 23 events will kick off with an open sheep show at 10 a.m. and youth dairy show at 11 a.m. The fire department museum, exhibition halls and Animal Land all open at noon, as does bingo and farmers’ horse events.
    A magic show is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on the hill, as are farm tractor pulls at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m. the midway rides open, and Dan Grady will present his Marvelous Marionette Medley at 2 p.m. on the hill. The hill will be the site of a balloon show at 3:30 p.m. Pedal tractor pulling and milking demonstrations will both take place at the parlor starting at 4:30 and 6 p.m. respectively.
    The fair office will conduct a bicycle drawing at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m. a tuff truck competition takes place at the mechanical area, as does milking demonstrations at 6 p.m. at the parlor. Dan Grady will present his Marvelous Marionette Medley at 6 p.m. on the hill. Elton John tribute act Yellow Brick Road takes to the stage at 8 p.m.
    An 8:30 a.m. an equitation “all trophy” horse show starts off the day on Saturday, Aug. 24, to be followed by a lawn and garden tractor pull at 9 a.m. Opening at 10 a.m. will be an antique auto display, the exhibition halls, fire department museum, horse pulling, Animal Land, animal costume parade and a youth beef cattle show.
    From 10 a.m. to noon children can compete in a cookie decorating contest at the dining hall. Midway rides open at 11 a.m., as does laser tag in the hockey rink, and a skillet throw starts at 11:30 a.m., with contestants signing up at the fair office. At noon pedal tractor pulling takes place at the milking parlor and bingo also starts at 12 p.m. Dan Grady will present his Marvelous Marionette Medley at noon on the hill.
    In the tradition of Mark Twain a frog jumping competition is slated for 1 p.m., as is a farm tractor pull. A magic show is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the hill, to be followed by Dan Grady’s Marvelous Marionette Medley at 3 p.m. The fair office will have a bicycle drawing at 4 p.m.
    The parlor will hold a milking demonstration at 6 p.m. Also at 6 p.m. will be truck pulls, a balloon show on the hill and wrist wrestling with signups beforehand at 5:30 p.m. by the sheriff’s office. The evening musical acts are Ken and Jane Brooks at 7 p.m. and then Perley Curtis at 9 p.m.
    On Sunday, Aug. 25, the final day of this year’s fair, the festivities start with a game horse show at 9 a.m. Horse pulling and a youth dairy goat show will begin at 9:30 a.m. Dan Grady will present his Marvelous Marionette Medley at 9:30 a.m. on the hill.
    A number of events start at 10 a.m. including a doodlebug drawing, the opening of the exhibition halls as well as the fire department museum and Animal Land and a pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor.
    Pie judging is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and New Relm take to the stage at 11 a.m. Also at 11 a.m. the midway rides open and a chicken barbecque starts at 11:30 a.m. Bingo will begin at noon. The children’s pig scramble starts at 1 p.m. with signups, with parental permission, from 10 a.m. to noon in the fair office.
    A magic show is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the hill by the office, and also at 2 p.m. the ever popular demolition derby begins. Dan Grady will present his Marvelous Marionette Medley at 3 p.m. on the hill. The final bicycle drawing at the fair office is scheduled for 4 p.m. A balloon show starts at 4:10 p.m. with the fair closing at 6 p.m.
    For more information on the 2013 Piscataquis Valley Fair, please go to www.PiscataquisValleyFair.com or find the fair on Facebook.

Scenes from last year’s fair