Newtown resident Andrea Zimmermann, author of The Great Danbury State Fair, a history of the 112-year-old event published by History Press, will give talks and sign books at area libraries in the area this spring, along with one special event at Greenfield Hill Grange. The library events are free and open to the public.GreenfieldHill@ctstategrange.org for details); and Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road in Southbury (203-262-0626) on Saturday, June 25, at 2 pm.Released in November, The Great Danbury State Fair is in its second printing.

The Danbury Fair was first held in 1869 under a borrowed tent. It thrived for more than a century on the same patch of ground, expanding and becoming an entity operated by a family corporation and worth millions.   Under the management of oil magnate John W. Leahy, the fair retained its great hometown appeal even as city dwellers flocked to the fairgrounds by the thousands.

The book includes profiles of the wealthy and innovative men who controlled the fair, the massive displays of agriculture, the ox-pull contests, wildly popular stock car racing, girlie and freak shows, entertainment, unique themed villages, and the iconic giant figures on the fairgrounds. The work is illustrated with nearly 90 photographs from the collections of university archives, historical societies, professional photographers, and fairgoers.

Ms Zimmerman will be at Brookfield Public Library, 182 Whisconier Road (telephone 203-775-6241 for additional information), on Monday, March 28, at 7 pm; at Bethel Public Library, 189 Greenwood Avenue in Bethel (203-794-8756) on Saturday, April 9, at 2 pm; at Fairfield (Greenfield Hill) Grange, 1873 Hillside Avenue in Fairfield, on Saturday, May 14, for a dinner and author talk event (tickets are required; email

During each of her presentations, Ms Zimmerman will talk about how she came to write about the fair, and offer some fascinating insight into its history.