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The-biggest-little-fair-in-the-state-is-coming-back-bigger-than-ever
www.myrecordjournal.com
07/11/2023
One of the state’s longest-running agricultural fairs returns to Beckley Road this fall with some additions, including a martini and whiskey tent, and a new, larger cattle barn. The 74th Berlin Fair will run from Sept. 14 to 17.
As usual, the fair, operated by the Berlin Lions, will feature live music, rides, games, plenty of food and beverage options, and much more.
“This fair is like a family reunion,” 2023 fair president Stephen Kaulinski said. “It’s great how many people who no longer live in Berlin come back and visit the fair.”
The event serves as the biggest annual fundraiser for many local groups.
“It’s neighbors helping neighbors in the different booths,” Kaulinski said. “This is what makes Berlin unique and what it is.”
More than 80 vendors will be onsite selling food, accessories, decor, collectibles — the list goes on.
The popular HTX helicopter rides return to the Berlin Fair this year, and the Deep Purple tribute band Beyond Purple will perform. Other concerts and events are still being planned.
The Berlin Fair has a rich history going all the way back to the Kensington Congregational Harvest Festival of 1882. According to the Berlin Historical Society, this popular church event would evolve into an annual townwide fair which continued through 1919. Decades later, in 1949, the Berlin Lions resurrected the fair on Beckley Road.
“The Berlin Fair is one of the most recognizable and well-attended events in the greater Hartford area,” Economic Development Director Chris Edge said. “The Berlin Lions provide an amazing weekend of experiences to people of all ages and then use the proceeds to invest back into the community. Something we should all be proud of having here in Berlin.”
As for the new cattle barn currently under construction, it will be 250 feet long and 60 feet wide. Also, it will offer seating for spectators, something the previous, smaller barn did not.
General admission to the Berlin Fair is $15. A four-day pass is $40. There's no entrance fee for children age 11 and younger when accompanied by an adult. To learn more, visit ctberlinfair.com.
nzappone@record-journal.com203-317-2212