A look back at the ‘Taste of the Fair’ in 2020 Despite the challenging circumstances that 2020 presented, Unionville Community Fair organizers offered a little ‘Taste of the Fair’ over three weekends By Chris Barber Contributing Writer “The fair” resides deep in the heart and soul of folks who, for decades, have brought their crops and handiwork to an event that started out in 1924 as the Unionville Community Farm Products Show. A welcomed sign of autumn each year, the event has grown through time from a mere corn show to an extravaganza with special events, vendors, livestock and a variety of contests. And so, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, and there were widespread cancellations of public events, Bonnie Musser, a lifelong Unionville Community Fair supporter and frequent president, was not going to let the tradition that so many loved face a yearlong oblivion. Musser explained that she and her fellow board members knew it
Once and future fair royalty join for a photo shortly before the coronation ceremony. From left are 2020 Queen Lauren Chamberlain, 2019 Queen Lexie McNeil, 2019 Princess Sophie Halsey and 2020 Princess Tomasina Petragnani.
82 Fall 2019 • Unionville Community Fair
was a bad omen in late spring when other events scheduled for the fall were being scaled back or canceled. She said it was obvious to them that many of the usual sponsors would be faced with limited funding and that the 250-crowd limit placed by the state would not work for the fair, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. “We have about that many volunteers alone running it,” she said of the 250-person limit that was in place in mid-2020. So she and former fair chairman Jayne Shea did some brainstorming and decided it would be a workable idea to give people just “a taste of the fair.” The name “A Taste of the Fair” stuck, and they proceeded to plan for a drastically reduced celebration which still captured some of the memorable charm of the annual event. They came up with a model of three “tastes:” one in August, one in September and one in October – October being the month in which the fair traditionally takes place.
A welcome balloon announces the “Taste of the Fair” to passers-by.
Priscilla the alpha cow from Baily farm in Unionville makes a return appearance.
