Wayne County Fair Trivia

The Wayne County Fair was organized by the Wayne County Agricultural Society in 1862, the same year the nation witnessed the start of the Civil War.

Whether it was war or peace, the humdrum of daily living called each year for a venue of diversion for the whole family. The Wayne County Fair quickly became an honored tradition, showcasing the fruit of local agriculture and finding a way for young and old to celebrate life together. It became a long-awaited social occasion, meeting your family, friends and school mates. It became a major attraction for the tourism industry and growing tide of summer season visitors.

Keeping true to its core themes of agriculture and family, the Wayne County Fair has weathered financial crisis, fire and flood. The Fair has expanded from a few thousand attendees to nearly 90,000. The fairgrounds, always situated on the flat land along the Dyberry Creek north of Honesdale, has more than doubled in size and multiplied its amenities.

In the past 161 years, the Wayne County Fair missed three years: 1888 due to a financial crisis, in 1942 due to flood damage and in 2020 due to Covid-19.

This will be the 162nd year during August 2 – 10th.  So, let’s hope our years at Duck Harbor will always include the Wayne County Fair.  Ticket prices are $12 for the whole day, including rides and if you don’t want to enjoy the rides, you can see the pig races or the 4H club competitions.  A real joy is seeing the kids who work so hard at loving their livestock. 

We have Duck Harbor kids entered this year! Diane Varcoe’s grandkids, Adelyn who is 11 will be showing her horse, sheep, pigs, homebred heifer and homebred feeder steer and her sister Lainey, 9 will be showing her horse, sheep and pigs. So, stop by and cheer them on! 

There is also an older woman who apparently writes a newsletter who is entering an apple and blueberry pie. 

We wish them all the best!

For more info on what’s happening each day at the fair, go to www.waynecountyfair.com