Piscataquis Valley Fair returns for the 132nd year Aug. 22-25

DOVER-FOXCROFT — This year marks the 132nd anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2019 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Aug. 25 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. 22 with the farmers steer, oxen and open ox 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.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
MISS MAPLE CROWN HOLDERS — Three contestants earned first-place honors in their respective age categories during the 2018 Miss Maple Pageant at the Piscataquis Valley Fair in Dover-Foxcroft. Standing at the front of the stage are the respective winners and runners-up, Eliza Chambers and Miss Maple Julia Goldsmith, Elliott Richardson and Little Miss Maple LaRae Richards and Mini Miss Maple Rhylee Waltman and Kaydance Benson. The fifth annual pageant will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25.

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., Borderline Express 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. 23 events will kick off with the 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.

Friday midway rides open at 2 p.m., as does Dan Grady’s marionettes show (he will also perform at 6 p.m.). A relay race takes place behind the ice cream parlor at 3 p.m. Magician Conjuring Carroll performs at 4 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 AC/DC tribute act AD/HD on the stage from 7:30-10 p.m.

On Saturday, Aug. 24 the horse pulling weigh-in begins at 6 a.m. and later in the morning the fun horse 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 fifth 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 Dan Grady’s marionette show — with another 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.

An animal costume parade begins at 3 p.m. and at 4 p.m. a bicycle drawing will take place at the fair office with magician Conjuring Carroll performing at 4 p.m. A three-legged race will be behind the ice cream parlor 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 Miranda Lambert tribute act Revolution performing on the stage at 7:30 p.m.

The final day of the 2019 fair, Sunday, Aug. 25, 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, as does a show by magician Conjuring Carroll (he will perform later in the day at 4 p.m.). The exhibition hall, fire department museum and Animal Land all open at 10 a.m. Also at 10 a.m. will be the pedal tractor pull off at the milking parlor and a horseshoe tourney behind the dining hall. From 10 a.m. to noon young entrants for the pig scramble can sign up at the fair office.

The midway rides open at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. will be a wheelbarrow race behind the ice cream parlor. The day’s bingo session starts at noon and the pig scramble in the pulling arena begins at 1 p.m.

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 2019 Piscataquis Valley Fair. please go to www.piscataquisvalleyfair.com or see the fair page on Facebook.