DURHAM, Connecticut — The Durham Fair which is Connecticut's largest agriculture fair in Durham kicked off Thursday at 4 p.m.
It marked the last full weekend in September and it is when the fairgrounds come alive. This year, it is expected to reach new heights.
An 'udder' day .... an 'udder' dollar for the cows at Cow Palace. Some of them squeezed in a brief nap before the gates opened to the public.
"When it’s busy here, we’re crowded. Wall-to-wall people want to come see the cows," said Kathy Robinson, coordinator of livestock.
Cow Palace is home to hundreds of dairy and beef cattle at the 103rd Durham Fair.
Robinson encouraged families, especially children to educate themselves on the importance of agriculture.
"They need to know where their food comes from. Kids think oh we go to the store to buy a bottle of milk. They don’t understand what’s behind the scenes of that. Without the farms, we won’t eat," added Robinson.
Aside from being one of the largest fairs in North America, the Durham Fair has over 1,700 volunteers and they welcomed more than 200,000 people.
"It’s a big reunion. You see so many people that you only see once a year at the Durham Fair," said Kim Terrill, president of the Durham Fair.
While this weekend is expected to be a washout, the Fair Association said that is no excuse to not dabble in on some fun.
"The great thing about the Durham Fair is a lot of our buildings, we have beautiful buildings so our displays are inside, so even if it is raining, you’re able to come and still walk through," added Terrill.
There is always a bright side if the rain hits.
"Don’t stay away, maybe the lines won’t be as long!" added Robinson.
"Whoo! We do a lot of business here!" said Jeff Grenier of the Coginchaug Benchwarmers.
Rain or shine, the Coginchaug Benchwarmers are ready for the crowds.
"One of the things about this booth, you’re going to walk by. We’re usually yelling out to people. We’re chanting. We’re just having a good time. You can tell from the hat. We don’t take things that serious!" added Grenier.
The Durham Fair is from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Carmen Chau is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at cchau@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook and X.
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