A record-setting 22,000 fairgoers crowded the Cumberland County Fairgrounds Saturday – the fair’s final day – to see bucking broncos and Brahma bulls, along with 4-H shows and other annual attractions.

“It looks like the biggest, single day in the 135 years of the fair,” Mike Timmons, president of Cumberland Farmers Club, sponsors of the fair, said Sunday. “We’re starting to put a new face on Cumberland Fair.”

Bumper-to-bumper traffic jammed Bruce Hill Road in Cumberland Saturday afternoon. Some fairgoers waited for 30 minutes to get into the fairgrounds, and parking lots filled early. Timmons said he and other fair officials were pressed into emergency service to help direct traffic.

Timmons said the previous largest crowd was in 1992.

The week’s official attendance was 56,600 – not including children under 10, who get in free. Timmons estimated the total was well over 60,000, counting those youngsters.

Organizers say this year’s fair was the most attended in its history. The fair attracted 52,400 last year.

Advertisement

The T-Bar-T Rodeo Co. of New York brought a touch of the Wild West with bronco busting, steer wrestling, Brahma bull riding and barrel racing. It was the first time a rodeo was featured at the fair.

Other events at the fair included pulling contests for oxen and horses, harness racing and a variety of livestock competition for 4-H youths.

Marie Smith’s entry was named grand champion in the market baby beef category. Smith, of Gorham, is a freshman at the University of Maine. Emily Bartlett of New Gloucester raised the reserved champion.

A pig raised by Holli Googins of Gray captured the blue ribbon as grand champion market hog, and Allison Scott of Cumberland had the reserve champion.

In the market lambs category, Roxanne Moreau’s lamb took grand champion and Brittany Humphrey the reserve champion.

Cutline (fair 3) Cutline (fair 4) Cutline (fair 5) Cutline (fair 6) Victor Hanson, 8, who is in the third grade at Village School in Gorham, rides the twist with his dad, Steve Hanson, at Cumberland County Fair on Saturday.This Brahma bull relaxes in the fall air at Cumberland County Fair, which had a hay day Saturday with a record-setting 11,000 fairgoers.Ashley Martin of Gorham, a sophomore at Gorham High School, shows her Holstein heifer Jessyca Rankin of Cornish, a freshman at Sacopee Valley High School, preps her Ayrshire heifer, Tonya, on Saturday for a 4-H show at Cumberland Fair on Saturday.Millie Winship, a freshman at Windham High School, holds her Holstein heifer, Lita, at Cumberland County Fair Saturday.In a final snip, Stefany Rankin, a fourth grade student at Cornish Elementary School, clips the tail of her Ayrshire heifer, Cinnamon, just before a 4-H show Saturday at Cumberland Fair.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: