| New Egypt, New Jersey |
The last fair of the 20th century is bigger than everBy By David Levinsky Friday, July 23, 1999 4:35 PM |
The last fair of the 20th century is bigger than ever Wrightstown looks at development plan Plumsted Committee looks at specs for complex Kosovo refugees depart Fort DixCelebrity Spotlight: Lila McCann Bugworks at Plumsted Library News Blurb Fireworks light up New Egypt sky McGuire AFB Troops come home You could fry an egg AHS grads and principal say goodbye Underprivileged children come to NE Speedway North Hanover BOE discusses repair costs New Egypt Home Map of New Egypt Plumsted Township Elks Lodge #2457 Business Directory Churches |
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What started out as a Grange farmer’s picnic that brought out maybe 100 family members has over the past 54 years grown to become South Jersey’s largest most extensive private fair. “We now have 35 acres of displays and entertainment on 25 acres of land,” explained longtime Fair manager Bill Spicer. “That doesn’t even include the ten acres of parking, so I’d say we’re a little pinched.” It’s a problem common to Farm Fair over the years, it just keeps on growing bigger and bigger every year. Included this year were the usual 4-H exhibits, antique farm equipment, amusements, horse shows, the queen’s pageant and the ever popular kiss the pig voting. Also back are the what Spicer considers the fair’s two most popular attractions— Skunk Drag Racing and the Children’s Tractor Pull. What was new this year, according to Spicer, was a renewed importance on agriculture and farming. “Farming is still the biggest employer in Burlington County,” he said, “Our focus will be to show kids that eggs come from chickens, not the dairy section of the market, and apples come from trees, and bread from grain that grows out the ground.” To help educate children, Spicer said this year’s fair has a number of interactive farm displays grouped together as “Be a Farmer for a Day.” Participants can milk a cow and grab eggs from a hen as well as dig for potatoes and pick apples. There is also a game where children must match grocery items with the grain that they come from. “It’s all part of our aim to educate people on the importance of agriculture. We even have a crazy maze made from bales of hay for kids to play in.” That message found a mass audience as well over 70,000 people entered Lumberton’s Village Green grounds over the fair’s four days beginning last Wednesday and concluding at 11 p.m. Saturday night. “We build a city on this property but we’re still a country fair built on grass rather than asphalt,” said Spicer. He also reported that work has already begun for the the first Farm Fair of the new millennium. “My wife and I travel to different fairs and go to all the national conventions,” he said. “People think we put this together in a few months but it takes over a year of planning.” |
