For 74 years, it’s become a beloved summer tradition for folks in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair returns Friday, running Aug. 11 through Aug. 19.
“The sights and sounds and smells of the fair are things that live with folks forever,” executive director Marty Svrcek told WTOP. “The culture of Montgomery County and families coming to the fair over multi-generations has been going on forever.”
Area 4H enthusiasts will present enlightening exhibits with hundreds of farm animals.
“We will have over 900 animals,” Svrcek said.
“Everything from chickens to rabbits, turkeys, cows, steers, goats, sheep, everything that you would ever want to find on a farm will be here for folks to see. There will also be many shows and exhibitions where folks will learn how animals are raised and how they fit into our food chain. We also have a milking parlor here where, throughout the fair, at various times, you can see a cow being milked.”
Thrill seekers can enjoy over 40 favorite carnival rides. In fact, next Monday and Wednesday are special “family days” where you can buy a $25 wristband for an “all you can ride” from noon to 11 p.m.
“This year, there will be four new rides: The Tesla AC, The Techno Jump, The Crazy Crabs and The Wipe Out,” Svrcek said.
“There are many classic rides that return year [after] year. Of course, the Merry-Go-Round is a classic, we have a giant swing that has paintings that depict that family of the carnival owners. … We have bumper cars that are great fun. … The Ferris wheel is the headliner down there. It’s the tallest [ride], all LED-lit, it’s very special.”
You can also win various prizes by competing in all of your favorite carnival games.
“The games in the carnival area will include many of the classics,” Svrcek said. “That includes the basketball shoot, the floating ducks where you pick a duck and get a number and win a prize, there’s a squirt-gun game where you squirt water into a balloon and the first person to pop their balloon wins that prize.”
If you work up an appetite playing the games, take a much-needed break for a bite to eat.
“Come to the fair hungry,” Svrcek said.
“We will have Mexican food, Greek food, of course the classic corn dogs, cotton candy, kettle corn, hamburgers, hot dogs. Our Big Cheese [building located next to Old MacDonald’s Barn] will be making grilled-cheese sandwiches. Our Big Cheese will process almost 3/4 of a ton (1653.467 pounds) of cheese from giant blocks and they’ll produce 10,000 or more grilled-cheese sandwiches that are handmade one at a time.”
Finally, you can take a load off by watching a number of free events at the grandstand.
“Included in the admission fee will be Chesapeake Dock Dogs, a competitive dog competition where folks can sign up, bring their dogs to jump off of a landing into a 20,000-gallon swimming pool,” Svrcek said.
“Touch-a-Truck is on Sunday. There will be all kinds of large earthmovers and equipment for kids and adults to enjoy. … We will have Truck Drag Racing on Monday. … Bring what you have, you don’t have to have a special truck.”
Beyond the free events, you can also pay to watch several premium grandstand events.
“Our monster trucks will be returning on Wednesday and Thursday,” Svrcek said. “Demolition Derby will be here on Friday and Saturday. That is an extra ticket … so I would encourage folks to get the best rates and do it online.”
With all of the above activities, you might want to break it up over multiple days to fit it all the activities in.
“It’s almost hard to do the whole fair in one day,” Svrcek said. “Many folks will buy multiday passes and come more than once. It is a once-a-year event in Gaithersburg. It’s cultural, it’s history, it’s family, it’s safe and it’s fun.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
