HEATH — For the 102nd year, residents and visitors will flood the fairground this weekend to partake in the town’s much-anticipated agricultural fair.
Held by the town’s Agricultural Society at the fairgrounds, the event will be open Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This is a labor of love. It’s the event of Heath for the year,” said Heath Fair board member at-large Bob Bourke. “We really try to keep it as a traditional agricultural fair. This is strictly, pretty much a fair that if you went to 50 years ago, you would not feel out of place.”
The fair costs $10 per day to attend, $8 for seniors ages 65 and older, and is free for children ages 10 and under, according to the Heath Fair website. Parking is free.
Dogs are not welcome, though service dogs are allowed.
Among activities at the fair are zucchini racing at 2 p.m. on Saturday and goat shows starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. On Friday, a fireworks show will be held rain or shine.
“There’s such a diverse selection of activities,” Bourke said. “There’s lecturers, square dancing, a goat show, the tractor pull, the truck pull, a great parade on Sunday with classic cars, there’s barbecue chicken on Sunday. There’s something for everybody.”
The fair will also offer plenty of live music for adults and kids. On Saturday, Under the Tree Music Company will perform a show for children at 10 a.m., Uncles of the Pioneers, will play at 11:30 a.m., Lonesome Brothers will play at 1 p.m., and Josh LeVangie and the Pistoleros will play at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the Shelburne Falls Military Band will perform at 11:30 a.m. and Gaslight Tinkers will play at 1:30 p.m.
All are welcome to join the fair’s board, Bourke said, adding that it’s a good way to meet neighbors.
“There’s a lot of different people who volunteer, all different politics and different persuasions,” Bourke said. “They sort of put that aside and come to focus on the fair.”
Reach Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.