56th Bridgewater Fair

Will Be August 17–19

BRIDGEWATER — The Bridgewater Country Fair will return for its 56th edition to the fairgrounds on Route 133 the weekend of August 17–19. Gates open Friday at 4 and will remain open until 11 pm, and then the fair will continue on Saturday from 8 am until 11 pm and Sunday from 8 am until 6 pm.

The Firemen’s Parade, with companies from across the state and New York towns, will step off at 6:45 on Friday.

Admission all weekend is $8 for adults, and free for children ages 12 and under. Senior citizen admission on Saturday and Sunday is $5 per person. Three-day tickets, priced at $17, can also be purchased on Friday.

The fair will offer two and a half days filled with rides, Bingo, variety acts and bands, oxen drawing, an antique tractor pull, a children’s tractor pull and a garden tractor pull, a children’s pet parade, dairy show and draft ponies, a livestock show, judged art, gardening and hobby (needlework, quilting, canning, fresh eggs) exhibitions, and the return of Cake Bingo.

Baked goods, the results of the Bridgewater Baking Contest (senior and junior divisions), state baking contests, and the state apple pie contest results will all be on view.

The grand prize of this year’s Firemen’s Raffle is a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. Also being raffled this year is a Cub Cadet lawn tractor, a Panasonic 42-inch high definition plasma TV, Kettler power stepper, an Xbox game system, and a Rigid cordless tool set. Tickets are already on sale from Bridgewater firefighters and will be sold for the duration of the fair. (For more information call Bill Stuart, 860-354-0012).

Performers this year will include Team Extreme Freestyle Motorcycle Show, with performances all weekend; Hot Dog Racing Pigs, also all weekend; Deana Mitchell, Saturday at 2; Tractor Mac on Saturday and Sunday; Big Shot, a tribute to Billy Joel, Saturday at 7; Upper Cut, a nine-piece horn band, Sunday at 2; and Joe West & Creative Force, Sunday at 4.

Food is a major draw to the fair each year, with Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department members and friends cooking an average of six tons of roast beef for sandwiches, three tons of chicken, 300 cases of fried dough, and 14,000 ears of corn. Pizza, grinders, hot dogs and hamburgers, ice cream, baked potatoes, and breakfast is also available, all prepared by friends and members of BVFD.

The fair is a major fundraiser for Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department, one of only a few self-supporting volunteer companies in the state. The department is not eligible for state or federal grants, which makes the success of the Bridgewater Fair that much more important for the men and women of the fire company.

For additional information visit BridgewaterFair.com or call 860-354-4730 or 860-354-1509.