Note: Most of the historical information in this article was taken from the
book The First Century - Union Fair 1869-1969, compiled and written by
Donald and Marion Mattoon. This article written by Janet Boetsch originally
appeared in the 1992 Union Fair Premium book, and has been adapted here to
reflect the last decade.

In the September 17, 1869, issue of the Courier Gazette, an announcement
appeared stating that The North Knox Agricultural and Horticultural Society
will hold its first annual fair at Union, October 5, 6, & 7. That
publication was the announcement of the birth of the Union Fair. With the
exception of 1943 and 1944, the fair has been held annually since with many
changes along the way, and has become one of the best agricultural fairs in
the State of Maine.

Societies to promote agriculture and the goods manufactured were being
formed in Maine as many as three decades before Maine became a state in
1820. From 1821 to 1869, 57 Maine agricultural societies were incorporated,
with the major purpose being to improve practices in agriculture and
horticulture through exchanges of information on practices. The book The
First Century - Union Fair 1869-1969, describes the formation of an
association of neighbors in five small communities in rural Maine -
Appleton, Hope, Union, Warren, and Washington - which together in 1869 were
incorporated by the Maine Legislature as the North Knox Agricultural and
Horticultural Society.  As was the rule in the early days of the fairs,
each town belonging to the Association took successive turns hosting the
annual event. In 1895, by legislative action, the organization was renamed
the Knox Agricultural Society.

Records show that the first day of the first fair was an ideal autumn day -
clear, cool, comfortable - held at Union Common. Exhibitors and visitors
arrived on foot, or by wagon or carriage, tying horses to hitching posts
around the community after stables were filled. Temporary pens and ties for
livestock were arranged for the cattle ground around the common. Exhibits
for the field crops, carriages, agricultural implements, fruits, dairy
products, embroidery, quilts, rugs and other homemade crafts were displayed
at the Wingate, Simmons & Company carriage shop, also located on the common.
Competitions in plowing by horses and oxen were also held.

Money for premiums originated from the State Treasury under the provisions
of Chapter 24, Maine Public Laws of 1832, which would be the forerunner of
some of funding used today through state agricultural stipends. As years
passed and new competitions were added, interest and attendance grew. Along
with the usual displays, the following were added: calf skins, ten yards
dressed woolen cloth, ten yards rug carpeting, patch quilt, counterpane and
spread, and embroidered chair.

Exhibits of livestock in those days was not limited to main species, but
included all varieties of farm animals representative of traditional farm
living. Competition categories listed not only cattle, sheep and horses, but
also swine and poultry. Although a decline is evident in the last several
decades, through the more recent efforts of the local groups and  4-H
programs, these species are being re-introduced and becoming again an
integral and interesting part of the agricultural aspect of the Union Fair.
For the last several years the poultry competition and display has continued
to garner interest and, with the introduction of pig races and scrambles,
swine has reclaimed its place as part of the overall agricultural aspect.

The ever-increasing number and variety of exhibits fair after fair in the
first six annual fairs, was solid testimony of the expanding interest in the
improvement of farm life, animals, machinery and household crafts and
skills. It was mute evidence of the effectiveness of an Act of the
Legislature in 1832 which provided money for prizes at incorporated fairs.

In 1878, the town of Washington the hosted events, held in Washington
Village, and another first took shape in the new venture of vending. Tents
and shacks were put up to house peanut vendors and games of chance. By 1885,
food concessions had made their imprint - some selling snacks such as hot
dogs, corn-on-the-cob, ice cream, and popcorn, some offering tidbits to
supplement picnic lunches brought from home, and some serving complete
meals.

With the end of the first decade of the harvest fairs, local people had
created a delightful outlet which gave tribute to the occasional tedium of
their everyday lives, lent impetus through competitions to improve stock and
livelihood, and introduced a spirit of neighborliness with adjacent
communities.

In 1886 the Association voted to hold all future fairs in Union. The
popularity of the Fair had increased, resulting in greater income from
admissions charged, and such stabilized income made it possible to acquire a
permanent home for its quarters and activities. In 1892 arrangements were
made with the Union Track Association for use of the grounds (the current
site of the Union Fair) and building for a term of five years.

With most people travelling by horse and wagon, the trip to the fair from
outlying towns was a long excursion. However, in 1893 a passenger could
travel from Warren to Union via the Georges Valley Railroad for a fare of 40
cents. At the Union station, a buckboard would deliver you to the grounds
for an additional 10 cents. The fair trustees and officials of the Maine
Central Railroad made an agreement to help boost business for the railroad
and increase attendance at the fair. For 85 cents a person could travel,
round trip, from Rockland to the Union Fair. This fee included admission to
the fair.

By the turn of the century, more growth prompted changes. In 1900 all
attendance records were broken with 5000 people passing through the gates.
The Trustees, in 1901, were directed to purchase the land owned by the Union
Track Association and an additional adjacent parcel owned by A. O. Ripley.
Even though in 1869 the members of the North Knox Agricultural and
Horticultural Society voted to have no course for horse racing, such action
did not seem to quell the desire for racing. In 1892, a group of men
interested in racing formed the Union Track Association, leased land from
Almond O. Ripley and built the Union race track. This arrangement lasted for
ten years, when the society purchased the land and, due to racing interest,
in 1902 horse racing became a feature of Union Fair's program. Winners of
these simple races were awarded sheaves of oats which gave rise to the name
oat races.

In 1927 additional land was purchased to increase the area several acres;
pari-mutual betting was added in 1935; and the motorized starting gate was
first used in 1947. To keep the attention of betters, entertainment was
provided on stage across from the grandstand: The Exhibition Mile of the
Moxie automobile; bands from nearby towns; and vaudeville acts, including
acrobats, comedians, and trained animals were among the attractions. The
entertainment features eventually evolved into today's feature attractions
held evenings.

By 1915, the long lines of automobiles waiting to get into the fair gave
evidence that cars were here to stay. Travelling to the fair by automobile
offered the advantage of being allowed to stay later, while fairgoers
travelling by horse and wagon had to leave earlier allowing time to get home
by chore time.

The Midway of early days comprised games of chance, vendors selling foods
and clothes, boxing bouts, and the merry-go-round, sometimes called the
swing-it. In 1956, the trustees contracted with the King Reid Shows to be
present. This did away with the so-called independent midway. Three rides
shown for the first time in Maine were the Kitty Whip, the Roller Plane and
the Rollo Fun House.

In 1959, Union Fair introduced the State of Maine Blueberry Festival planned
in cooperation with the State Department of Agriculture. Since wild
blueberries were plentiful locally, it made sense to initiate a blueberry
festival during fair time which coincided with the fruit harvesting. The
first festival featured a blueberry pie baking contest, pie eating contest
and free pies to all fair visitors. Maine's incumbent Governor, John Reed,
honored the occasion by presenting awards to the best pie-baker, Mrs. George
Cole of Newcastle, and pie eater, Willard Pease, Jr. of Rockland, who
consumed an entire pie in less than five minutes. These three festival
attractions are still featured in today's festival.

Choosing a Blueberry Queen was an added feature of Blueberry Festival Day in
1961. Each of the 13 candidates was sponsored by a wild blueberry packer or
processor, and the winner, Miss Monalee Smith of Brookville, represented
that industry for one year. Smith received a silver trophy and $100. The
festival program has incorporated many novel ideas gathered since 1959,
proving its success by witness of attendance at the pageant on Sunday, and
on Friday of fair week, designated Wild Blueberry Festival Day. Examples
of these additions are the pancake breakfast, bubblegum-blowing contests, an
extensive selection of wild blueberry related items for sale, and baking
contests, including the popular Two-crusted Pie competition, the winner of
which goes on the the state competition. The cultivation of the festival has
yielded many requests from nationwide locations for information about the
annual celebration.

Throughout its lifetime, Union Fair has amended its operation benefit the
overall fair, with service to the public always the prime motivation.
Additional buildings, grounds space, services and programs are evidence. The
attractive Sherman Park with its benches and picnic tables welcomes the
weary or hungry to relax and enjoy the surrounding flower gardens. Daily
musical entertainment and various demonstrations are also featured in the
park. The construction of this serene and attractive area plus an
innovative, removable hub rail on the race track, were reasons Union Fair
received a special award in 1988 at the annual convention for the Maine
Agricultural Fairs. In 1998, the organization became known as Union
Fair/Maine Wild Blueberry Festival, as the participation of exhibitors at
the fair is no longer limited to Knox County, but encompasses a much larger
region and is open to anyone. Exhibitors come from as far away New
Hampshire. Active participation from anyone with an interest is always
encouraged. Community support is pivotal to keeping Union Fair alive.

What began in 1869 as a harvest festival, where local farmers and tradesmen
gathered for three days to compete in agricultural events, has grown into a
week-long fair the third week in August. Although the fair has matured to
meet modern times, it has remained a family tradition - preserving its
original agricultural flavor. Extensive craft and farm exhibits (including
cattle and sheep shows, pulling events, plus country home crafts), 4-H and
farming competitions, and daily harness horse racing, as well as Midway
rides and games, are features at Union Fair that provide a wide variety of
interesting and exciting activities for all genres of people. Two exhibition
halls display an impressive array of fine, homemade handcrafts - many of
which are also for sale, native homegrown garden foods and decorated booths
by local granges.  Walking from one area of the fair to another, fairgoers
can travel from present day highlights of midway excitement to bygone days
when farming was a predominant way of life.

Aside from the traditional State of Maine Wild Blueberry Festival held all
day on Friday, an additional treat for young and old can be found in the
Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage located at the entrance to the grounds. It
is acclaimed as one of New England's Finest. In tune with Union Fair's
agricultural theme, trustees voted in 1964 to purchase from Mr. Edward A.
Matthews a collection of antiques, agricultural implements, books, and
household devices, and the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage was born.

The fairgrounds are nestled in a quiet country setting off Route 17 between
Maine's capital city, Augusta, and the beautiful coastal region surrounding
the Camden Hills. Every year, the seven-day fair is planned and executed by
15 trustees and several officers and many more volunteers. Each officer and
trustee is responsible for an assigned component of operation, which
requires a great deal of work and cooperation.  Most of the people dedicated
to keeping Union Fair running as one of Maine's best agricultural fairs have
farms of their own, work at local businesses, or participated in fair
exhibitions during their childhood. Being part of the organization for many
is a loved hobby stemming from family tradition steeped in a history of
participating at the fair for generations, as well as a sense of pride for
the fair's part in the preservation of agriculture. Testimony to this is
seen in the fact that many trustees in the past decades have served for more
than 25, and some upwards of 50, years. Furthermore, some families have been
involved with the organization of the fair for generations, with one family,
having members from 6 consecutive generations serving the fair.  It is that
dedication which promises continued service to the agricultural community
and the public.