Tradition and community thrive at 107th Heath Fair

Despite being 107 years old, the Heath Fair has stuck to its roots in providing agricultural-themed community fun, attendees said of the fair’s opening night on Friday.

From 5 to 11 p.m., the fairgrounds were buzzing with activity as fairgoers explored the exhibit hall, different food and vendor booths, and enjoyed the different music and activities opening night had to offer.

“The midway is full, and the bingo tent is full; it’s beautiful weather and people seem happy,” Jessica O’Niell, co-president of the Heath Agricultural Society, said Friday night. “I just love walking around and seeing people using the benches or sitting down in a circle chatting, and just seeing people light up.”

Attendees said the fair represents tradition, community, and a chance to showcase their skills and highlight their achievements.

For 8-year-old Walker Lane, this meant driving a tractor off his family’s farm for the first time.

“I drove in the antique tractor parade, it was my first time driving it at a different place than home,” Lane said.

Lane said he’s been coming to the fair his whole life and has been driving tractors for a couple of years. Driving his tractor at the fair was exciting, especially since he had his friends, including Olivia Brennan of Charlemont, cheering for him, and they were able to rewatch videos of him driving afterwards.

Brennan also celebrated some achievements at the fair and earned ribbons for her contributions to the exhibit hall, where visitors perused winning vegetables, quilts, baked goods, art, and more.

Brennan took first place for her scarecrow and third for her drawing, both featuring barred Plymouth Rock chickens found on her family farm.

“It feels pretty nice actually, my scarecrow won first place again this year, which is awesome,” Brennan said on her win. “I’m glad I got this … I decided to do barred rock chickens mostly because we have barred Plymouth Rock chickens, well, we actually have a lot of chickens and I just like chickens.”

O’Niell said she loved seeing the youth enjoy the fair. She hopes the kids and teenagers competing in the mini horse pull, tractor pull, and other competitions this year continue to enjoy the fair for decades to come.

“We had the antique tractor pull and I love that it’s mostly teenagers and 20-something year olds, and I hope they’re still here in 24 years,” O’Niell said.

Woodcarver John Lake said he goes to several fairs each year to showcase his craft, but the Heath Fair is the most agricultural and traditional fair he has been to, and it was nice to see the kids running around smiling with their friends.

“In the old days, all the kids in the neighborhood would play ball in the middle of the street, and none of their parents had to worry,” Lake said. “This fair is more relaxed and feels like the old days.”

O’Niell said it took a lot of work to make the event happen, and many hours from many volunteers, but in the end, it’s all worth it when everyone is together having a good time at the fairgrounds.

“Whether you’re a Heathen or you’re coming from far away, people love this fair,” Heath Agricultural Society Co-President Elissa Viarengo said. “It makes me cry the way people come together to make this magic happen.”

Viarengo has spent the past five years in charge of the exhibit hall, and she loves seeing what people submit, as well as the creativity in all the entries. She particularly enjoys watching kids’ excitement at seeing a ribbon on their entry and just running around having fun.

“The excitement I get to witness with the kids running and seeing their ribbon … that’s what this fair is all about,” Viarengo said. “It’s about stimulating and encouraging their creativity, and their desire to keep participating in this community. That’s what we’re trying to foster here.”