47th annual Clinton County Fair

From 47th annual Clinton County Fair Website:

The History of our Fair

During 1971 and the early part of 1972, a small group of Clinton County residents explored the feasibility of developing an annual event based on agricultural, 4-H and commercial exhibits.

In August of 1972, this group, which had become known as the Clinton County Fair Committee, held the first Clinton County Fair on a small plot of ground, which was borrowed from a farmer in Pine Creek.

The following year, August 1973, this event was moved to a five-acre community park in Mill Hall, Pa., where it remained until 1979. This site was more centrally located in the county and had the advantage of sewage and water. At the completion of the 1979 fair, it was evident that the fair had outgrown the five acres and a search was begun for a new, and hopefully, permanent site. However, the combination of high prices and meager funds forced the Association to once again settle for a temporary fairground.

The third move was to a 28-acre site located in Castanea Township, which was leased on an annual basis for approximately $3500. per year. During the time the fair was located in Castanea, the Fair Association conducted a diligent search for a permanent site. This goal was reached in December 1983 when the Association, under the auspices of the Clinton County Commissioners, purchased a 66-acre site in Lamar Township for $75,000.

During the time the fair was held on a temporary site, housing for the fair's activities were also temporary. By mid-July the Association's Directors and other volunteers would begin to ready the site for the annual event. ?Office and first aid trailers were moved on the site, fences were built, water lines installed, temporary pole barns and tents were erected, display space and animal pens were built. By the end of August, all traces of the Fair were removed. Trailers were returned to storage, fences, water lines, animal pens, display areas and buildings were dismantled and returned to storage areas.

Since the Association purchased a permanent site, some permanent construction has been done. A roadway on the site was built; a track used for tractor and four-wheeled drive vehicle pulls was constructed. A racetrack was build for all-terrain vehicles, a permanent building was constructed to be used for registration for the pulls and races and to house the announcer for those events.

Ten year long-range plans include building permanent sanitation, commercial, administrative and show facilities.

The purpose of the Association is to conduct an annual County Fair which provides all the activities normally associated with a county fair competition for recognition and premiums, entertainment, promotion of county agriculture, home economics and animal husbandry. Future activities will be based on these components.

The members of the Clinton County Fair Association, Inc. are committed to the success of this project.