Woody Lancaster might not have grown the world's heaviest pumpkin, but he did once snag an award for the prettiest one.
"Right now I've got a pumpkin that's in the 1,000-pound range," said the 62-year-old Topsfield resident, though he's not sure if that's the one he'll enter in this year's Giant Pumpkin Contest at the Topsfield Fair.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, growers like Lancaster will vie for the title of heaviest pumpkin, while also trying to beat last year's winner, which weighed in at a world-record-setting 1,689 pounds.
"A lot of attention goes into it to grow a pumpkin that big," said Lancaster, who's also the director of the New England Giant Pumpkin Growers Association.
Pumpkin growers, sheep shearers, and pig racers all show off their bounty at dozens of agricultural fairs throughout New England from July through October each year. Although they are traditionally harvest festivals, the fairs also have rides, entertainment, and of course, fair food | making them a favorite way to welcome fall.
The next several weeks represent the busy season for local agricultural fairs. Both the Eastern States Exposition and the Rochester Fair get started on Friday, and they are closely followed by the Deerfield and Topsfield fairs.
Lynn Garland has been coordinating 4-H programs for the Deerfield Fair for 40 years. She said the fair is a great way for the children involved in the program to showcase their skills and projects, but also a great place to see people you haven't seen all year.
"It's a great sort of extended family reunion," she said.
The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield — better known as The Big E — lives up to its nickname. It's a bit out of the way, but it's also one of the largest agricultural fairs in the region. It features live music, food, rides, livestock shows, and exhibits.
One of the biggest attractions is the Avenue of States, where each New England state is represented with a replica of its capitol, exhibits, and local products, said Catherine Pappas, communications manager for the Eastern States Exposition.
Other highlights include the horse show, sea lion splash show, Big E Super Circus, and a concert series featuring major national acts like Natasha Bedingfield and Fergie.
This year's Rochester Fair includes monster trucks, extreme motorcross, and a demolition derby, as well as Circus Hollywood and a Friesian horse show. There are also arts and crafts, a giant pumpkin contest, stock shows, rides and nightly entertainment.
"We have made a major swing to more family friendly entertainment," said Mark Perry, general manager of the Rochester Fair. He said the fair has kept ticket prices the same as last year, emphasizing the value of fairs for families.
The animal shows, horse show, rides and the Miss Deerfield Fair pageant are some of the most popular features of the Deerfield Fair, which kicks off Sept. 25.
"It's great for families because there's something for everybody," said Sheryl Bolduc, president of the Deerfield Fair Association and the first woman elected to that post. The fair will be hosting "Forever Locked," a life-sized sculpture of two moose whose antlers are locked in battle, which Bolduc calls "absolutely awesome." Also at the fair this year is the Flying Wallenda Family Circus and a demolition derby.
Now in its 190th year, the Topsfield Fair, which gets started on Oct. 3, is hosting the Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the New England finals of the Colgate Country Showdown.
Jo Dee Messina and the Village People are among the musical acts scheduled to perform. The fair has also added cooking demonstrations for the first time this year, featuring a Comedy Cajun Cooking Show.
"That's all over and above everything else we do," said Sally O'Maley, head of marketing and public relations for the Topsfield Fair. "Everything else" includes rides, livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, and of course, the famous Robinson's Racing Pigs.
