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FAIR COME TO THE
~ Once Upon a Time in Guilford ~
The Guilford Fair and Agricultural Society have been a part of Guilford’s life since 1859. The Fair has evolved over the years, with the old fair taking place on Guilford Green before moving to the Fairgrounds in 1969. This year, the theme of “Once Upon a Time in Guilford” will be the focus of the Fair Parade, and participants will be able to celebrate the history of Guilford and the tradition of the Guilford Fair.
In my 25th year as President of the Agricultural Society, our mission is to continuously work to maintain and improve the private property owned by the Guilford Agricultural Society, known as the Guilford Fairgrounds, all for the benefit of the local community and beyond. This year, we built two new barns with the help of a grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, the superb craftsmanship of the Amish barn raisers, and generous donations of time and equipment from volunteers and local businesses. My goal, and that of the Agricultural Society, has been to continuously improve the facilities on the Fairgrounds, and these new barns are a milestone in achieving that goal.
In the spirit of continuously upgrading and improving the Fairgrounds for the benefit of the whole community, I would encourage young people to get involved with the Agricultural Society. I have been a part of the Fair since I was a teenager, and our youth will be the future of the Fair for many generations to come. Start by becoming an exhibitor and submit
an entry to one of our many categories, such as barnyard, vegetables, and photography, and win a ribbon. We always look forward to seeing these treasured entries. Or think about becoming a Junior Member of the Agricultural Society and learning about its part in Guilford’s agricultural history.
While the Fair is an old tradition in Guilford, the Agricultural Society is continuously working on making the Fairgrounds more accessible to everyone. The weekly farmers market continues this year, emphasizing the abundance of local produce and crafts. It also provides a venue to enjoy music and food in the beautiful setting of the Fairgrounds.
As we celebrate “Once Upon a Time in Guilford,” please come and enjoy the Guilford Fair in September, check out the new barns, and enjoy the entertainment, food, and animals. We all at the Agricultural Society want to make the Fairgrounds and the Guilford Fair a place for happy memories to be made and treasured. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces.
John Hammarlund, President: Guilford Agricultural Society
SCHEDULE x EVENTS
Entertainment
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
The Guilford Fair Family Circus featuring The Flying Wallendas 5 & 7 p.m.
Concert:
Hollywood Nights - 8:30 p.m.
The Bob Seger Experience
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
The Guilford Fair Family Circus featuring The Flying Wallendas 1, 4 & 7 p.m.
Concert:
Meet Loaf - 8:30 p.m.
The Ultimate Meat Loaf Tribute Band
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
The Guilford Fair Family Circus featuring The Flying Wallendas 1 & 4 p.m.
Concert:
Jordan Oaks - 11 & 2 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday
Times to be announced
All 3 Days
Rosaires’s Royal Racers
Shows Daily - (Times to be announced) Zoo Show
Show Daily - (Times to be announced)
Events & Shows
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
4 - 11 p.m.
Gates Open - 4 p.m. Pony Drawing - 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
9 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Guilford Fair Parade (starts on the Green)-10 a.m.
Antique Tractor Pull - 11:30 a.m.
3,225-3,425 lb. Horse Drawing - 1 p.m.
Spelling Bee - Main Stage - 2 p.m.
Free for All Horse Drawing - 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Donkey & Mule Show - 9:30 a.m.
Draft Oxen - Noon
Youth Public Speaking - 12:30 p.m.
All 3 Days Open during fair hours
Children’s Zoo • Camel & Pony Rides All Agricultural Exhibits
Large Midway by Rockwell Amusements
FOOD
Photo
Photo courtesy
Photo courtesy
Mission
Curriculum
Sat. & Sun.
Hilby
The German Juggling Boy Returns
Michael Hilby has a history with the Guilford Fair, as it was his first professional booking many years ago. He still considers performing at the Fair a wonderful community experience. He describes Guilford as the “quintessential fair.” This year, he is returning to create unforgettable moments for his audience and reminisce with his “Guilford Fair Family.”
Growing up in Germany, Hilby traveled across Europe to Asia, learning to juggle at exotic destinations along the way. He perfected his art while on the road, performing in Islamabad, Lhasa in Tibet, and across Asia. Calcutta, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Pnom Penh were all stops on his performing travels, culminating in a six-month stay in Japan with Buddhist monks, perfecting his performances and even entertaining in Japanese.
Having traveled the world enjoying the life of a street performer, Hilby set tled in Ithaca after meeting his Amer ican wife. They raised a family living in a cooperative community with other people and various animals. Hilby describes how much inspiration for his act comes from watch ing the curiosity and laugh ter of children. And that act, which is constantly changing, is based on the tradition of silent comedians such as Buster Keaton and the famous mimes of Marcel Marceau, presenting a show where artistry be comes hilarity, with a touch of genius.
When his children were small, the whole family came with him to the
Guilford Fair, and now his wife still accompanies him. She is an avid nature photographer who loves being back in Guilford and taking pictures along the shoreline. For Hilby, the joy of performing is something that is still with him after many years, and he creates unforgettable moments such as the Schrubb Schrubb of Doom, where he juggles an electric hedge trimmer, and a bowling ball, among other things, delighting adults and children alike.
Guilford Fair has a special place in his heart. Being so small by American fair standards, he describes it as more European, with a brilliant audience and children being a special part of the performances. He has known Tino Wallenda and his children for many years and delights in reuniting with them all at the Guilford Fair, a true fair family experience. For Hilby, the Guilford Fair is truly “A Small Fair with a Big Heart.”
Come and enjoy his unique show in which artistry and skill come together with charm and hilarity.
Photo courtesy of the Guilford Fair
FAIR FOOD
H Low N Slow BBQ
H Poutine Fries
H Leo’s Lunch, Sausage & Peppers
H Ultimate Sundae
H Dolly’s Chicken & Taters
H Taco Shack
H Hawaiian Shaved Ice
H Del’s Frozen Lemonade
H Vinci’s Fried Dough
H Tara’s Fried Dough
H Gyros
H Mexitale Kitchen
H Thai House
H Indochine Pavilion
H Dude’s Donuts
H Deb’s Cafe
H On the Flip Sliders
H Bake Bake Hooray
H Capt, Frank’s Fish
H Naples Wood Fired Pizza
H Art’s French Fries
H California Curly Fries
H Star Fish Market
H Larry’s Steak Sandwiches
H Awesome Apple Crisp
Guilford Fair SPELLING BEE
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 21 TIME: 2 p.m. PLACE: Main Stage
RULES FOR PARTICIPATION IN SPELLING BEE
The spelling bee will be open to students of Guilford public schools from grades 3 through 6.
Each of the four elementary schools may select up to FOUR students from each grade (i.e., grades 3 and 4).
The Baldwin Middle School may select up to EIGHT students from each grade (i.e., grades 5 and 6).
The total number of participants will therefore be limited to 48 students: 32 top spellers from grades 3 and 4, and 16 spelling aces from grades 5 and 6.
Only participants with school certificates will be allowed free admission.
All participants will receive signed certificates, and the winners will be presented with plaques or trophies.
Sponsored by the Guilford Fund for Education
Well Drilling
Hydrofracking
Pool Heaters
Maintenance
Water Testing
Yield Testing
Well Chlorination • Well Extensions
Hardness
Iron
Bacteria
Softeners
Neutralizers
Installation of Radon, Air & Water Systems
IN DEDICATION x
HH John Hammarlund and Tom Baker HH
The 2024 Guilford Fair is dedicated to Guilford Fair Presidents John Hammarlund and Tom Baker.
John Hammarlund and Tom Baker have both been associated with the Guilford Agricultural Society and the Guilford Fair since they were children. Growing up in the farming communities in North Guilford, animals and agriculture were part of their heritage and tradition.
As children, they were both members of local 4H groups, specifically the North Guilford Hay Shakers, showing cows and goats. One of the new barns on the Fairgrounds is dedicated to the Hay Shakers and Farm River Gang 4H groups. They participated actively in the Guilford Fair Parade each year, always a part of Guilford tradition. Early on, as a member of the Cub Scouts, Tom won a stilt race, and his father nicknamed him “Flash” after the Marvel character Flash Gordon; the name has stuck. Years later, Tom is known as “Flash” by all his friends and fellow members of the Agricultural Society.
As time passed, they traveled with Nick Naples, the renowned “King” of the horse and oxen pulls, to many other fairs. Nick supervised John and “Flash” as young teenagers. When John and Flash started to run the horse and oxen-pull in 1990 at the Guilford Fair, both ran the pulling equipment and helped with the ponies, horses, and oxen. They raised the standards of the pulls to new levels and ultimately became judges and co-chairs of the pulls at the Guilford Fair.
When the Agricultural Society bought the Fairgrounds in 1969, and the Guilford Fair moved from the Green, both Tom and John, as members of the Agricultural Society, dedicated themselves to improving the Fairgrounds site. Together with other volunteers,
they moved old barns onto the Fairgrounds to add to the existing buildings. When the Woodruff Barn was donated to the Guilford Agricultural Society by Edward Perkins, owner of the Rollwood-Woodruff Farm on Stone House Lane, John and “Flash,” along with the Agricultural Society grounds crew, lifted the barn from its original location with the help of Peter Marlowe, a life member of the Agricultural Society, and moved it to the Fairgrounds. The Antique Farm Museum was born. It was a wonderful new asset to the Fairgrounds.
The camaraderie between them leaves many tales to tell of their escapades over the years. Many years ago, Tom and John and a couple of other people moved the Chapel building, now the headquarters for the grounds crew, onto the Fairgrounds in the middle of the night. There are lots of memorable stories to tell friends and family alike.
This year, we celebrate 25 years of John Hammarlund’s service as President of the Agricultural Society and his dedication to improving the Fairgrounds. Under his leadership, six new permanent barns, improved infrastructure, and a permanent stage built by Agricultural Society volunteers are now on the site.
We also celebrate John and Barbara Hammarlund’s 25th wedding anniversary this year. They were married on the Fairgrounds on September 11th, 1999. “Flash” was a groomsman at their wedding party. Congratulations to John and Barbara, and here’s to many more years together.
Thank you, John, for your inspired leadership of the Agricultural Society, and “Flash”, for your continued dedication to the Guilford Fair and the Guilford Fair family.
HH Laurel – A Prize Corriedale Sheep HH
Nate and Melissa Trojanoski have been raising Romney and Corriedale sheep since they were both children. As members of 4H and FFA groups, they have shown them at fairs and shows around New England. In 2016, they bought Ravenwood Farm, located in Terryville, CT., and continue to raise sheep together with their growing family. Nate is the fourth generation in his family to continue raising and showing sheep.
The Corriedale is a New Zealand sheep breed bred in the late 19th-century by crossbreeding Merino and Lincoln Longwool breeds. Officially recognized as a breed in 1911, it has been exported to many countries around the world, including the United States. Romneys, or Romney Marsh sheep, originated in England and were officially recognized as a “long wool” breed in 1800. They, too, have been exported around the world and are an economically important sheep breed, especially in the meat and wool business.
At Ravenwood Farm, the flock of 40 Romneys and Corriedale produces beautiful heavy fleeces, which are sheared twice yearly. Each fleece is then washed, carded, and processed separately, making each yarn run unique as the sheep grow and change. As
a hand spinner, Melissa, together with Rick Trojanoski, runs Twist of Fate Spinnery, where the washing and carding take place, and each yarn is labeled with the name of the sheep it was shorn from.
At four years old, Nate and Melissa’s son, Everett, has grown up with lambs and sheep. He bottle-fed and raised his first lamb, Hope, inside the house when he was just two years old, and learned how to clip and walk her when she grew into a sheep. Laurel is the second sheep that Everett has had of his own, and he takes all the responsibility of feeding, clipping, and preparing her for shows. Everett’s little brother Dylan, born in June of this year, will also have his own sheep to care for when he is old enough, continuing the family tradition.
Everett and Dylan will be fifth-generation 4H’ers as they grow up. They will show sheep at fairs around New England, continuing the family tradition of marketing the animals for their unique yarn and meat products and staying involved in the farming community in Connecticut, a second family for all at Ravenwood Farm.
Nate, Melissa, Everett, and Dylan will be at the Guilford Fair this year to show Laurel and some of their other sheep and lambs. Come and meet them in September.
Directions to the Guilford Fairgrounds
From New Haven Area, take I-95 to EXIT 57. Take right onto Route 1. Follow Route 1 to the intersection of Church Street (Route 77) and Route 1. Take a right onto Church Street (Route 77). At Stop Sign take a right onto Broad Street then an immediate left onto Whitfield Street. Continue about 1 mile and take a left at fork onto Old Whitfield Street, then another left onto Stone House Lane to Fairgrounds entrance.
EXIT 58 Turn right onto Church Street (Route 77). Continue across Route 1. At the Stop Sign take a right onto Broad Street then an immediate left onto Whitfield Street. Continue about 1 mile and take a left at fork onto Old Whitfield Street, then another left onto Stone House Lane to Fairgrounds entrance.
From New London Area, take EXIT 59 (Goose Lane). Take a right onto Goose Lane, cross over Route 1. At Stop Sign take a right onto Boston Street. Continue about a mile and take a left onto South Union Street. Continue to end and turn right onto Stone House Lane to the Fairgrounds entrance.
*(Star to indicate shuttle bus.)
FREE Shuttle Bus Lots will be at EXIT 57.
Two New Barns on the Fairgrounds for All to Enjoy
At this year’s Guilford Fair, two new barns will be on the Fairgrounds, replacing the tents that previously housed the cattle, sheep, and goat exhibits. The open barns were raised in the spring of 2024 thanks to the receipt of a grant from the Connecticut Departm ent of Agriculture. They were raised in about five days by the Amish partners of the Agricultural Society, both of whom have worked together for many years. The Amish have also raised all of the other exhibit barns on the Fairgrounds for years, all of which are enjoyed at the Guilford Fair.
The two new barns are perfectly fitted for the cattle, goat, and sheep exhibits at the Fair, with water and electricity, providing a comfortable environment for the animals and their caretakers throughout the three days of the Fair. Many of the animals exhibited are brought by local Connecticut farms, which are part of 4H programs to assist in educating and training the next generation of farmers. The “Best at the Fair” competitions are highly competitive, and entries come from all across Connecticut and beyond.
However, while upgrading the animal exhibits at the Fair, the new barns also provide permanent space to hold other community events. This year, the first Annual Community Agriculture Day was held on May 11th, at which the barns were inaugu-
rated with a ribbon cutting attended by the Department of Agriculture, the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, and local and state officials. The barns were dedicated to local 4H groups, and the day consisted of educational displays and demonstrations in animal husbandry and other aspects of local farming, providing hands-on skill development to encourage the pursuit of careers in Connecticut agriculture.
In 2023, The Guilford Agricultural Society hosted a seasonal farmers market on the Fairgrounds, which has returned this year. The farmers market provides a weekly location for a community gathering with food and local musicians and local farmers and crafters to showcase their offerings. The construction of the two barns has made it possible to hold the market in all weathers, providing a unique opportunity for the local community and beyond to learn about how food is raised and grown and how this contributes to sustainable agriculture. The market supports locally grown and healthy foods, promoting Connecticut agriculture, a part of the Agricultural Society’s mission.
The barns significantly upgrade the infrastructure on the Fairgrounds and improve the ability to extend the Society’s outreach to the Guilford community and beyond. Come and enjoy the two new barns at this year’s Guilford Fair.
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Guilford’s
FIRST day program for adults with disabilities, GAVIN & FRIENDS by Sarah
Tuxis is NOW OPEN!
GAVIN & FRIENDS was created by Linda Toscano, a building owner, community member, and local Realtor, in collaboration with Sarah Tuxis. The facility is named after Linda’s son and his love for Thomas the Train. Located in the heart of downtown Guilford, it offers participants the opportunity to integrate fully into the community as volunteers and employees, while enjoying access to public spaces throughout the downtown area. This non-profit day program facilitates experiences essential for teaching life skills and allows opportunities for expanding individuals’ independence and fostering social interactions within a safe environment. For more information please visit sarahfoundation.org/gavin-friends and to donate, scan here
