| SEPTEMBER 2005 -- The center of the main recreation field at Brodie Park was transformed into an old-time New England-style fair, complete with homemade ice-cones, burgers and hotdogs, tractor pulls and live music. The absence of motorized rides was a key feature of the fair, Eureka Grange Overseer Earl Phillips said, lending more family time for children and adults.
"People are really dedicated to this fair," Phillips said. "By not having huge, noisy rides, it gives people the opportunity to mingle and to stop and talk to one another. People even come to see other people they haven’t seen since last year’s fair."
The Eureka Grange, a town, regional and nationally affiliated community organization, is a family fraternity open to anyone over 14 years of age, Phillips said. The group operates on a volunteer basis and tries to break even at each of its events, he said.
Phillips pointed to the 53 local business booths, which converge on Brodie Park for the fair’s popularity.
The day was also a celebration of New Hartford, and First Selectman Bill Baxter was on hand to talk to residents, answer questions and share stories. With elections coming up in November, Republican and Democratic tents were set up with spokesmen in each to describe party goals.
The Grange was represented in the center of the green by three large tents containing competitions in sewing, crafts, baking, flowers and canning. Pie and coffee were also for sale.
Phillips said the spirit of the fair could be seen in 14-year-old Victor Salizar, who spent weeks last year restoring a 1941 Beaver tractor to its original fire-engine red. Salizar led the parade of antique tractors around the fairgrounds, wrapping up another successful year of the Eureka Grange Fair and New Hartford Day. |
