www.towntimes.com
Volume 26, Number 27
Friday, October 2, 2020
CALL IT THE ‘NOT FAIR’ Two local families got together recently for a “No Durham Fair 2020” party. The Farr and Fournier children, of Durham, are pictured at the backyard gathering.
Canceled fair leaves a big void By Sean Krofssik Record-Journal staff
DURHAM — The 101st Durham Fair was originally scheduled to take place this past weekend, but was canceled in May due to COVID-19 and has left a void in town. If the weather cooperates, the fair can attract more than 220,000 visitors over the course of its three and a half days and requires around 1,700 volunteers.
Alanna Rondinone in the recording studio.
Versatile entertainer On Saturday, Sept. 26, Middlefield native Alanna Rondinone began filming her first music video. According to her website, alannarondinone.us, “Alanna Rondinone is a famous TiKTok star and social influencer as well as a model, singer and dancer. She is working with a production crew out of New York City and will be surrounded by her new management team from Perpetual Vibes, LLC to support her music initiative.”
Rondinone was second runner-up in the 2019 Miss Connecticut Teen USA pageant. It was her first time competing, and she was the youngest contestant in the field.
Rondinone’s website states, “She soon began making TikTok‘s for fun until December 24, 2019, when her holiday TikTok video received over 1.2 million views and from there her popularity grew! This stylish trend setter has taken the social media world by storm!”
Daniel Miramant, the president of Durham Agricultural Fair Association, said it was a tough week for all who love the fair. “The fair would have started today,” Miramant said on Thursday, Sept. 24. “It’s a melancholy feeling. We have 1,700 volunteers that look forward to this every year. I feel bad for our nonprofits. We have about 7,000 residents in Durham and Middlefield and this event brings the communi-
ty spirit together like no other.” This was just the fifth time the fair has been canceled in its storied history. Durham First Selectwoman Laura Francis, who’s been involved with the fair in a variety of capacities for two decades, said the impact of the fair not being held is massive. “It’s almost immeasurable,” Francis said. See Fair, A10
Football squads get a lifeline By Greg Lederer Record-Journal staff
CHESHIRE — Back on Sept. 16, the state football community got disappointing news when the CIAC Board of Control announced it was canceling 11-on-11 football for the 2020 season. At the time, CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini added that the board would consider moving the sport to a different season if it didn’t interfere with spring sports in 2021.
On Tuesday, the governing body followed through on that idea. The CIAC announced an alternative season that would run from late February into the middle of April to accommodate football and any sport that doesn’t complete at least 40 percent of its regular season. That would entail moving up the winter season, running it from late November through late February, and pushing back the
spring season from midApril to late June. “The start and end dates of the winter and spring seasons will be adjusted to accommodate the alternative season with minimal impact to winter and spring sports,” the CIAC stated in releasing the plan. “The following dates were suggested with the understanding that all plans remain fluid and subject to the latest COVID metrics and information.” See Football, A14