by Suzanne Daub
Evening air is growing crisper, and days are filled with sunshine and the water is still warm enough for swimming. The busy season is winding down, but there are still plenty of events to attend. September gives us all time to breathe and reconnect. The Nantucket Island Fair, an ideal event to gather with friends and family and remember the simple pleasures of island living, returns on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22, from 10 am to 4 pm.
Once again, the fair will be held at Tom Nevers Field, its wide open space providing plenty of room for plenty of fun (and parking). Fair admission for a carload is $30; fairgoers who bike or walk to the fair pay just $10 each. Those who help set up, run, and take down the fair are admitted free of charge. Volunteers are needed—experienced and first-timers—anyone interested in helping can sign up for a shift at NantucketIslandFair.com or send an email to nantucketislandfairvolunteers@gmail.com
Fair organizers have planned a wide variety of activities, games, and live music on both days. The games begin with a traditional Sack Race at 11 am, followed by a Watermelon Eating Contest at 12 noon. At 1 pm, test your endurance at the Hot Pepper Eating Contest. Try your hand at the skillet-throwing contest at 2 pm, and see if you can hurl a skillet farthest down the field. And dessert comes early on Saturday, when the Cupcake Eating Contest will be held at 3 pm.
On Sunday, the 3 pm contest will be a traditional Egg & Spoon Race. Dates and times were accurate at our press time, but check the fair website for updates at NantucketIslandFair.com/schedule.html
In addition to the contests, many activities for children are being organized, from a Duckie Draw to Fish Bowl Pong. Youngsters will be able to paint faces on pumpkins and have their own faces painted at the fair’s Kids’ Corner.
If you’ve been cultivating the perfect vegetables or fruits in your Nantucket gardens, bring your pride and joy to the Harvest Tent at the fairgrounds before 1 pm on Saturday, September 21 to be judged with the other entries. In additional to “island-grown” categories, home cooks will compete for their entries to be named Best Preserves, Best Whoopie Pies, Best Baked Goods (any breads, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, pies, or other favorite baked good). This year there’s even a competition for honey harvested and packed on Nantucket. And the popular Giant Pumpkin Contest is back! Due to the size of these behemoths, growers are invited to drop off their entries on Friday afternoon, September 20—all contenders must be in position before 1 pm on Saturday.
Geronimo’s & Cold Noses are sponsoring the Dog Show at this year’s Nantucket Island Fair on Saturday, September 21. Details on how to enter your four legged friends will be posted soon on the fair’s website.
All livestock being shown at the fair is local: the show ring event will be held both on Saturday and on Sunday at 2:30 pm. Anyone with animals they’d like to show should contact nantucketislandfairvolunteers@gmail.com for details.
Performers are still being lined up to provide live entertainment on the fair stage: as of our press date, The Dunbars and The Bad Dads Band will be playing their tunes, and Lizza will perform her NanPuppet Show.
New this year is a Car Show: organizers are offering free fair admission and special parking to anyone who brings an antique or unique car to the Nantucket Island Fair to display to fairgoers. Exhibitors must register in advance at the fair website to be assigned parking and a free pass.
More details will be added to NantucketIslandFair.com as plans are finalized and volunteers sign up, so check the website often for updates.
