The Orange Country Fair
Here is your opportunity to relive the wonders of the Orange Country Fair through the camera lens of our wonderful Amity Intern Lauren Ide.
Click HERE for the video.
Sep 262012
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The Gagel Girls try thier hand out at the “two man saw” competition.
The Orange Country Fair is Going strong with perfect Fair Weather and lots of wonderful things for the entire family.
Here are a few photos from this morning’s events with more to come throughout the day and tomorrow.
Stop by and get your family photo taken. Visit the Coast Guard and get a reality check with the CT state police crash simulator. Everyone seems to enjoy the fire extinguisher simulator, try it out.
There’s so much to do and see. Come to the Fair!
The Gagel Girls try thier hand out at the "two man saw" competition.
Sep 152012
Rows of tractors always attract a crowd.
The Orange Fairgrounds were buzzing with activity for the past few days as tents, table, grills, signs and children’s activities went up.
The busiest time was Friday night, when crafty kids and adults, bakers and those with green thumbs arrived between 5:30 and 8 p.m. to drop off their entries for the numerous competitions that the fair offers.
For the first time ever, there was a competition on the lower fairgrounds on Friday night. Hundreds of people came to watch the truck pull while the smell of baked potatoes filled the air on the upper fairgrounds.
In the back of one of the halls, a group of residents gathered to judge a baking contest.
The fair opens Saturday morning with the Chip’s Pancake Breakfast followed by the opening ceremonies with the National Anthem being sung by Orange Resident Addie Robbins.
Looks like we are going to have FAIR Weather Too!
Check out the full schedule HERE.
In the meantime, get a kick out of these pre-fair photos.
Rows of tractors always attract a crowd.
Sep 142012
One of the cutest fair book covers ever.
The Orange Country Fair, held at the Orange Fairgrounds, 525 Orange Center Road, Orange, Ct is one of the most popular agricultural fairs in the state, attracting guests from New York, Connecticut and other New England states.
All exhibits must be dropped off tonight between 5:30 and 8 p.m.
Something totally new is, while everyone is dropping off their entries on Friday night the first event will be going on in the lower fairgrounds.
The All Mighty Truck Pull begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.
The Lower Fairgrounds Satellite Food Tent also opens at 6 p.m.
The 2012 Fair will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Along with the usual exhibits: the Civic Tent; plants and vegetables; arts; collections and photography; livestock; and farm museum.
Fair crowd pleasers like the tractor pull; women’s skillet toss; doodlebug contest; antique tractor pull; children’s pedal tractor pull; antique car show and hay bale toss all will be back.
To add to the excitement fair-goers can watch the pig races with host Bobby Fantarella and marvel at the skills of Orange Police Dog Maximus and several other area police K9s.
Entertainment: “Flashback” will perform on Saturday; Phil Rosenthol will perform traditional Blur Grass music with Banjo and Mandolin, and “The Navels” also will grace the stage.
Last year’s thriller Juggler/Unicyclist Bruce Sarafin will perform a 30 minute stage show then entertain around the fairgrounds all day on both Saturday and Sunday.
For the first time ever, there will be a truck pull on Friday night at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $7 for adults; $5 for seniors; children 15 and under free.
Free parking and shuttle provided. Pets are not allowed; also no alcohol. Keep in mind there is no ATM onsite.he tradition continues at the 2012 Orange Country Fair.
Find the tent and country set up and get your free family photo, courtesy of Don Oliver Home Improvement.
Official Fair T-Shirts, Hats and Commemorative Items available at the Souvenir Tent and a commemorative poster with artwork by the late Jamie Hulley also will be sold.
Here is the Fair Schedule as it appears in the Fair Booklet:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
6:00 p.m. All Mighty Truck Pull 6:00 p.m.
Lower Fairgrounds Satellite Food Tent Opens
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012
8:00 a.m. Chip’s famous Pancake Breakfast – Main Food Pavilion
8:30 a.m. Garden Tractor Pull
10:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies
11:00 a.m. Two Person Hand Saw Contest
11:00 a.m. Homing Pigeon Release
11:00 a.m. Oxen Draw
11:00 a.m. Live Music
1:00 p.m. Women’s Skillet Toss
1:00 p.m. Homing Pigeon Release
2:00 p.m. Magic & Juggling Show
3:00 p.m. Doodlebug Contest
3:00 p.m. Homing Pigeon Release
3:30 p.m. Live Music
7:00 p.m. Fair Closes
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012
8:00 a.m. Chip’s famous Pancake Breakfast – Main Food Pavilion
9:00 a.m. Antique Tractor Pull
10:00 a.m. Antique Car Show
11:00 a.m. Horse Draw
11:00 a.m. Homing Pigeon Release
11:30 a.m. Pedal Tractor Pull
1:00 p.m. Men’s Hay Bale Toss (16 years & older)
1:00 p.m. Homing Pigeon Release
2:00 p.m. Live Music
3:00 p.m. Homing Pigeon Release
4:00 p.m. Live Music
6:00 p.m. Fair Closes
SPECIAL FEATURES
Chip’s famous pancake breakfast
Largest Snake & Reptile Exhibit in the East
Coast Guard Inflatable Craft and Boasting Safety Information on Saturday
Toddler Driving Contest
Fire Marshal’s Virtual Fire Extinguisher simulator
Birds of Prey 11:00, 12:00, 1:00 & 2:00
Pig Races
Garden Club Demonstrations 2:00 & 3:00
Police Dog Demonstration Sunday, lower field 12:00 & 2:00
Sep 072012
A new easy-to-use guide to the town’s open spaces will make your outdoor adventures in Orange that much easier. When planning a stroll through quiet woodlands, hiking a trail overlooking a winding river, exploring a hardwood forest, ice skating in winter or fishing in summer, all the information you need now is available in one handy reference. You may get yours at the Orange Country Fair in the Civic Tent.
“A Guide to the Open Spaces of Orange, Connecticut” is a full-color brochure for maximum enjoyment of the town’s 1,000 acres of public open space.
It provides useful information including trail maps, brief descriptions of each sites, facilities, hours, even GPS addresses for the parking areas. The 18 x 24 guide folds into a convenient pocket-sized tool. It features a town map indicating the locations of all of the passive and active open spaces, and charts showing available and permitted uses at each site.
While a few pamphlets had been developed for some of the locations, there was no single reference that covered all of the passive open space sites. Developing a comprehensive guide became a project of the Senior Leadership Program Class of 2012, sponsored by the Community Services Department. Team members Marty Stofik, Robb McCorkle, Robert Sigler and Helen Vasil worked closely with the Orange Conservation Commission, the Orange Land Trust and town departments to compile all of the information.
The guide was published with the assistance of grants from the Orange Lions Club, the Rotary Club of Orange, Orange Community Women, and the Orange Land Trust. Copies will be available at Case Memorial Library, the Orange Parks and Recreation office and the Orange Chamber of Commerce. If organizations or businesses would like copies to distribute to their members or customers, they should contact Dennis Marsh, Senior Services coordinator, at 203-891-4789.
Aug 072012
The Orange Country Fair is one of the most anticipated events in town
The Orange Country Fair, held at the Orange Fairgrounds, 525 Orange Center Road, Orange, Ct is one of the most popular agricultural fairs in the state, attracting guests from New York, Connecticut and other New England states.
The 2012 Fair will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Along with the usual exhibits: the Civic Tent; plants and vegetables; arts; collections and photography; livestock; and farm museum.
Country Fair crowd pleasers like the tractor pull; women’s skillet toss; doodlebug contest; antique tractor pull; children’s pedal tractor pull; antique car show and hay bale toss all will be back.
To add to the excitement fair-goers can watch the pig races with host Bobby Fantarella and marvel at the skills of Orange Police Dog Maximus and several other area police K9s.
Entertainment: “Flashback” will perform on Saturday; Phil Rosenthol will perform traditional Blur Grass music with Banjo and Mandolin, and “The Navels” also will grace the stage.
Last year’s thriller Juggler/Unicyclist Bruce Sarafin will perform a 30 minute stage show then entertain around the fairgrounds all day on both Saturday and Sunday.
For the first time ever, there will be a truck pull on Friday night at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $7 for adults; $5 for seniors; children 15 and under free.
Parking is free and free shuttle service is provided from locations to be announced.
Volunteers are needed for the food tent and other locations around the fairgrounds. High School students who need to make their community service requirements and adults who are willing to help should contact Lynn at lplaskowit@aol.com.