TOPSHAM – For nearly two centuries, August in the Midcoast has marked the return of a classic tradition celebrating Maine’s agricultural heritage: the Topsham Fair. By late morning on Sunday, the parking lot was packed for the last day of the 174th annual weeklong event.
Visitors were greeted by a sea of vibrant carnival colors, the smell of fried dough hanging in the air and a toddler-sized hay bale maze. Sunday was “Children’s Day,” filled with programming like a superhero meet and greet, a pony show and a penny scramble.
Fair President Kathi Yergin, who started as a volunteer 14 years ago, said she enjoys creating an opportunity for families to spend time together. She also loves watching the fair succeed. By the end of Thursday, about 5,000 people had visited the fair, with nearly triple that number attending Saturday night’s demolition derby — a consistent fan favorite.
The most eager attendees — a chorus of sheep — camped out in an exhibition hall close to the entrance. They bleated and stuck their shorn heads through the metal squares of their pens, ready for attention.
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Pogo and Twiggy, two small sheep who shared a pen with Windshield and Wiper, sat at the very front of the exhibition hall. They could have had a shot at being the stars of the show had it not been for Tim, an especially vocal sheep with a fluffy tuft of wool on his head several pens away.
Tim, who will be processed for meat in September, was at the fair with owner Rachel Domin and 19 of his sheep friends from Hemlock Ridge in Freeport. Domin has been coming to the fair since she was a child, and with her herd for the last four years exhibiting for the full weeklong event.
“I feel like it’s really important to help educate people about agriculture and where their food comes from,” Domin said. “It has changed so much, you know, farming and agriculture in general, and Maine has a lot of small family farms that are no longer because it’s just unsustainable.”
The camaraderie of the farming community and the opportunity to interact with members of the public keep Domin and her family coming back every year, she said. Her daughter, Clara, who sold her homemade crocheted animals at the fair, agreed with a smile.
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In past years, the fair has welcomed as many as 35,000 visitors. Yergin, who is in her second year as president said she hopes numbers will reach that this year, but a change in ticket prices has made her unsure.
A $20 ticket last year included a bracelet for the rides. This year, ride passes were sold separately and the entry fee was lowered to $15. For families who wanted to add rides to their day, it became more expensive.
“The reason we really cut (the entrance fee) is because we just wanted people to be able to afford to come. It’s still expensive, but I don’t think people realize how much it is to run the fair,” Yergin said.
It took about $100,000 just to get the fair up and running this year. But, the effort to create a successful week involves more than just money, Vice President Hal Hammond said.
About 10 volunteers spend time planning vendors, activities and other logistics during the 11 months when the fair is dormant. Then during the week, more than 40 volunteers contribute their time to make sure it runs smoothly, Hammond said.
Both Yergin and Hammond said they are proud of the effort their team has put in and about the turnout this year.
“We’re not out to make a killing off of it. We just want to break even,” Yergin said. She’s confident they will.
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Attendees filled every corner of the fair, from the superhero meet and greet to the penny scramble, which was filled more with lollipops and less with pennies because of a shortage, Yergin chuckled.
Vanessa and Kadin Crafts, said they attended to surprise their two young sons, Oliver and Callen. They were there mostly for the rides, but spent lots of time with the animals, Vanessa said as Oliver excitedly pointed to the goats across the field.
“It’s really good family time,” she smiled.