NEW GLOUCESTER — For the first time since 2014, the New Gloucester Community Fair is returning Aug. 17 as a “community fair to try to showcase stuff in the community.”

While in the past the fair has been a large event, featuring attractions like carnival rides, Community Fair Committee Chairman Peter Bragdon said this year’s fair will be smaller and more community focused.

“We’re just going back to a six-hour community fair to try to showcase stuff in the community. We’ll keep the costs down really low, people can come in and do fundraising and sell stuff. We’ll make it really community based.”

The fair has not been held in recent years due to budget issues, although prior to 2014 it had been a staple event in town for years. Bragdon reinvigorated the committee in 2017 and secured a date for the event.

The fair will be financed through a combination of sponsors, savings from prior fairs and vendor fees, he said. Non-profits must pay $25 while businesses that are for profit must pay $50.

The committee is searching for civic organizations, including crafters and vendors, that want to be involved by selling food products or other wares or offering a game or raffle at the event.

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“We’ve had a lot of interest already. We’re getting the word out. The ball’s really starting to roll,” Bragdon said.

After the committee has determined what booths and vendors will be present, it will begin reaching out to sponsors, probably in June.

Bragdon’s goal is to keep the fair low-cost: “I don’t want people to show up and be nickle and dimed by everything. We want to make it affordable.”

He anticipates that the event will draw 1,500 to 2,000 attendees.

The fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fairgrounds on Bald Hill Road. The committee is also looking for volunteers to help out at the event.

For more information, visit the New Gloucester Community Fair Facebook page or the New Gloucester town website or email Communityfair@newgloucester.com.

Jane Vaughan can be reached at 780-9103 or at jvaughan@keepmecurrent.com.


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