Every family has their own traditions. One of ours is going to the Woodstock Fair, which has been held every Labor Day Weekend since 1860 in Woodstock, Conn.
The year my husband and I met, 2010, we were both at the fair, but we didn’t know it. I went for the music and the crafts. He went for the Ceremonial Native Americing Dancing that Boy Scout Troop 25 from Putnam has performed since long before hubby was a boy in the troop. We hadn’t known each other yet and we didn’t see each other at the fair, but we were both there.
In 2011, we were announcing our engagement to local friends at the Fair. In 2012, we were indulging in my early pregnancy cravings. Seriously, the only root beer float I’ve ever had was at the Woodstock Fair, while I was preggo with Sweet Boy. A few days before Labor Day weekend 2013 was Sweet Boy’s first case of croup. But the steroids had helped him feel better pretty quickly and we introduced the little guy to many friends at the Fair.
Friday Funday
Sweet Boy really started enjoying the Fair in 2014. That year I discovered the absolute best time to go to the Fair with young kids–Friday morning. The Woodstock Fair is open, but definitely not crowded. The animals, crafts, giant vegetables are all on display and easy to view. The food vendors are getting fired up. You walk into the smell of barbecue meats grilling, fresh kettle corn popping, apple crisp baking. For a food lover, it is absolutely intoxicating. The vendors are happy to talk to you about their crafts and their process because they aren’t swamped with customers. That year I was newly pregnant with Girlie and once again, but this time the heat and the fried food made me pretty queasy.
2015 was a huge development in our family’s love of the fair. I took both kids on Friday to see the agriculture displays, but later the weekend, all 4 of us went and Sweet Boy discovered his favorite part of the fair– the rides. Yes, at just 2-1/2 he was tall enough to try the kiddy rides (he’s still a giant). The train, the carousel, the tea cups– he loved them all.
Silly Old Mom memory– Survivor headlined that year. Half my friends thought the TV show, the other half thought the band. It was the band.
Woodstock Fair 2017
This year we enjoyed our yearly Friday morning trip, and it became a play date with some of Sweet Boy’s friends. Everything is just so friendly. A nice woman helped Sweet Boy wash his hands in the bathroom while I helped Girlie. We had a yarn spinner explain to the kids how she makes yarn from sheep wool and a weaver show them how she makes her fabrics. They climbed on the tractors (despite Old Mom reminding them to look with their eyes, not their hands). And at least half of the food vendors are from local organizations doing their yearly fundraisers. Booster clubs, Lions Clubs, Student Councils, Fire Departments. They all come together as a community to create a memorable event for visitors near and far. As I’m writing this, we are getting ready to go back for Day 2. Sweet Boy is too excited to put his socks on, and Girlie is babbling about getting a blue slushie from Daddy’s friends at the local Scout Camp‘s vendor booth and singing “The Animal Fair.”
And when we returned home from the fair, we had two very tired and happy kiddos. They loved the rides, the ginormous vegetables, the food, the Native American Dancing show, the children’s play area (can I just say- brilliant!!! Give the kiddos a spot for some quiet play so they can last a bit longer for the day). We saw friends from t-ball, day care, and scouting. We supported local agriculture, artisan vendors, churches, schools groups, and scout groups.
At just 4 years old, my son looks forward to the Woodstock Fair every year. My daughter will be talking about this weekend for weeks. This Fair will be a part of our family for many, many years to come.