Piscataquis Valley Fair returns for the 131st year Aug. 23-26

DOVER-FOXCROFT — This year marks the 131st anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2018 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 23 to Sunday, Aug. 26 at the fairgrounds located at 77 Fairview Avenue. The four days will feature exhibitions, rides, concerts and fun for all ages.

The festivities begin on Thursday, Aug. 23 with the farm oxen weigh-in at 8 a.m. and open flower judging at 10 a.m. At noon the fire department museum, located next to the police building, exhibition halls and Animal Land all open. The farm steer and oxen pulls also begin at noon and the midway rides open at 2 p.m.

Frisbee toss behind the ice cream parlor starts at 3 p.m. with the pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor at 4 p.m. The first bingo session begins at 4 p.m. as well. At 5:30 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office.

Evening events for the first day of the Piscataquis Valley Fair will include milking parlor demonstrations at 6 p.m., figure eight mechanical truck competition at 6 p.m., Midnight Rose takes to the stage from 6-9 p.m., the He Man contest at 7:30 p.m. and then fireworks at 9 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 24 events will kick off with farm horse weigh-in at 9 a.m. and the youth dairy show at 10:30 a.m. The fire department museum, exhibition halls and Animal Land all open at noon, as does bingo.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
MISS MAPLE CROWN HOLDERS — Three contestants earned first-place honors in their respective age categories during the 2017 Miss Maple Pageant at the Piscataquis Valley Fair in Dover-Foxcroft. From left are the respective winners and runners-up — Miss Maple Virginia Macomber and Makenzie Hodges, Little Miss Maple Eliza Chambers and Madison Coover, and Mini Miss Maple Rhylee Waltman and Kaydance Benson. The fourth annual pageant is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the fair stage.

Friday midway rides open at 2 p.m., as does the Conjuring Carroll Magic Show (another show will be at 6 p.m.). A relay race takes place behind the ice cream parlor at 3 p.m. A pedal tractor pull takes place at the milking parlor at 4:30 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. a bicycle drawing will be at the fair office.

At 6 p.m. will be a milking demonstration at the parlor and also at 6 p.m. will be the tuff truck competition at the track. The day concludes with the Honky Tonkers Reunion Tour — Craig Stutzman on the stage at from 7:30-10 p.m.

On Saturday, Aug. 25 the horse pulling weigh-in begins at 6 a.m. and later in the morning the jumper show starts at 8:30 a.m. Farm tractor pulls at the mechanical track kick off at 10 a.m. Opening at 10 a.m. is the antique auto display, exhibition halls, fire department museum, horse pulling, Animal Land, youth beef cattle show and cookie decorating on the hill.

The fourth annual Miss Maine Maple Pageant for girls in kindergarten through high school starts at 10 a.m. on the stage.

The midway rides will open at 11 a.m. and the skillet throw begins at 11:30 a.m. At noon will be bingo and Conjuring Carroll — with another demonstration at 3 p.m. In the tradition of Mark Twain, a frog jumping competition is slated for 1 p.m. as is a pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor. The North Atlantic Wrestling Association will host a show from 3-5 p.m. in front of the stage.

An animal costume parade begins at 3 p.m. and at 4 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office. A cookie stacking contest will be on the hill at 4:30 p.m. with a milking demonstration at the parlor at 6 p.m. Also at 6 p.m. will be truck pulls at the mechanical track and wrist wrestling — sign-ups are 5:30 p.m. by the police building.

Saturday concludes with The Mallett Brothers performing on the stage at 7 p.m.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
THE PULL OF THE FAIR — Justin Libby of Corinth leads his horses Tony and Bill in dragging a sled during the horse pull competition during last year’s Piscataquis Valley Fair in Dover-Foxcroft. Libby’s team would finish second in their division with a distance of 267 feet, 5 inches.

The final day of the 2018 fair, Sunday, Aug. 26, has a horse weigh-in at 6 a.m. and the game horse show at 9 a.m. Also at 9 a.m. are the garden tractor pulls at the mechanical track, followed by horse pulling at 9:30 a.m.

The doodlebug draw begins at 10 a.m. at the mechanical track. The exhibition hall, fire department museum and Animal Land all open at 10 a.m. From 10 a.m. to noon entrants for the pig scramble can sign up at the fair office. The pedal tractor pull at the milking parlor begins at 10:30 a.m. as does pie judging.

The midway rides open at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. will be a bubblegum blowing contest. The day’s bingo session starts at noon and the pig scramble in the pulling arena begins at 1 p.m.

The 2 p.m. hour features the pedal tractor pull off at the milking parlor. The demolition derby starts at 3 p.m., as does the Power Wheel’s Demo Derby. The final bicycle drawing takes place at 4 p.m. at the fair office before this year’s fair formally closes at 6 p.m.

For more information on the 2018 Piscataquis Valley Fair. please go to www.piscataquisvalleyfair.com or see the fair page on Facebook.