From the President – 2026
“Come to the Fair – Celebrate 250 Years of America”
Fair Friends:
The Guilford Fair, since its inception in 1859 has been a wonderful community event. The Fair itself has evolved over the years, originally being held on the Guilford Green, before moving to the Fairgrounds on Lovers Lane in 1969. The theme of “Celebrating 250 Years of America” will be the focus of both the Fair and the Fair Parade this year, and participants will be able to celebrate America’s birthday and the part that Guilford has played in the 250 years of the United States, together with the tradition that is the Guilford Fair.
As we celebrate America’s 250th, I, as President of the Agricultural Society would like to take a moment to reflect on our agricultural ancestors who sowed Guilford’s agricultural roots. Today there are still some descendants of those original settlers who cultivate those roots here in Guilford, such as the Dudley’s, the Leete’s, the Bishop’s, the Chittenden’s and the Scranton’s among others. As a young boy these families were instrumental in my education and interest in farming, which is still my focus and livelihood today.
This year, as part of America 250, we will be celebrating the role that horses played in the Revolutionary War, and in the evolution of American farming and transportation since Independence. Horses were essential to farming in early America, for plowing and harvesting fields, for logging and for transportation. So, as we celebrate America 250, we will this special year, also celebrate the horse.
But the Fair is above all a family affair, the Flying Wallenda’s and the family circus, the musical entertainment, children and adults alike laughing and enjoying all the exhibits and amusement rides the Fair has to offer, and of course the food.
The traditional Guilford Fair Parade around the Guilford Green on Saturday morning of Fair weekend will be a special celebration this year for America’s birthday. The local school bands, the farm tractors, trucks pulling floats, fife and drum corps, Fire Department, Police Department, dance groups, cheerleaders, and the clip clop of the horses and donkeys, all to celebrate the red, white and blue of 250 years of Independence.
As we celebrate “250 Years of America” in this very special year, please come and enjoy the Guilford Fair in September, enjoy all of the entertainment, food, and animals, and this year all of the flags, the red, white and blue, and the very special celebrations of America’s birthday. All of us at the Ag Society want to make the Fairgrounds and the Guilford Fair a place for happy memories to be made and treasured. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces.
— John Hammarlund, President, Guilford Agricultural Society