THE BALLOON MAN

Dutchess County Fair 2012
Fair to return to its agricultural roots with educational exhibits & livestock

Caroline Burns, 2, center, J.J. Burns, right, and Ryan Burns, 11, background, all on Northport, N.Y., look at a Jersey calf, Dutchess County Fair Aug. 23 in Rhinebeck. The calf was born in December at Ken-Ray Farm in Lagrangeville. /
Karl Rabe/Poughkeepsie Journal
from: poughkeepsiejournal.co.
by: Shantal Parris Riley
Aug 18, 2012
Hundreds of thousands of people will head to the Dutchess County Fair this week for nationally known musical acts, dozens of rides, carnival games, 4-H competitions and the ever-popular fair foods.
The Dutchess County Fair returns this week for its 167th year, with hopes for clear skies and a renewed focus on agriculture.
“The fair is getting back to its agricultural roots,” said Richard Weckesser, president of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society, which began the fair in the mid-1800s. “We’re going to add more of an agricultural flavor to the fair.”
The plan for the next four to five years entails showcasing more livestock and more agricultural-themed exhibits, he said. One example is this year’s new soybean exhibit, an educational display that follows a soybean on a journey from sprout to factory floor to store shelf.

 

From left, Helen Jorgensen, 10, Ed Jorgensen and Grace Jorgensen, 5, all of Millbrook, joke around while eating at the Dutchess County Fair Aug. 23 in Rhinebeck. / Karl Rabe/Poughkeepsie Journal
Fair staffers confirmed that 4-H milkshakes, chocolate-covered apples and deep-fried Oreo cookies would again be available at the fair this year. This year’s fair boasts 45 rides, an entertainment lineup including Lonestar and Chubby Checker, and hundreds of 4-H livestock shows and competitions to be held on “Livestock Hill,” one of the earliest features of the fair.
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http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20120819/SPECIAL01/308190005/Dutchess-County-Fair-2012?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CPoughkeepsieJournal.com