There are plenty of county fairs in our region, but you can’t beat the views in Frederick, Maryland.
Nestled beside the beautiful Catoctin Mountains at the end of the Carroll Creek river walk, The Great Frederick Fair returns Friday, Sept. 15 through Saturday, Sept. 23. The annual family tradition is now in its 161st year.
“What sets us apart is the community aspect,” General Manager Karen Nicklas told WTOP. “I would classify as one of those fair kids. My parents are life members, my grandparents, aunts and other relatives … You’ll see that in our buildings, volunteer stations, vendors and exhibitors, a lot of people have been doing this [for generations]. Their parents and great grandparents are the ones who started the tradition. Now everyone is continuing that forward.”
The grandstand features a star-studded lineup of music, including Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, Tonic and Fastball on Friday, Sept. 15; Zach Williams with Brennley Brown on Saturday, Sept. 16; Elle King with the Red Clay Strays on Thursday, Sept. 21; Tracy Byrd with Jo Dee Messina on Friday, Sept. 22; and Walker Hayes with Chase McDaniel on Saturday, Sept. 23. Last year, audiences got to see the second-to-last concert ever performed by Coolio.
Beyond the concerts, Nicklas conducts three different “three-ring circuses.”
First, is an array of carnival rides and games for competitive thrill seekers.
“We have the thriller rides, the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round, several kiddie rides — and new this year on Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m., we’re offering sensory-friendly hours [with Maryland School for the Deaf located down the street],” Nicklas said. “We have the balloon pop games, we’ve got the bottles that you knock over, the fishing for stuff, just a lot of fun things for the kids to interact with, have fun with and win some really awesome prizes.”
Second, is the delicious food, from crab cakes to bloomin’ onions, so come hungry.
“There’s a lot of staples that people look forward to every year: the root beer float man, Dougherty’s, New Market Grange, Pighole [BBQ], JB Seafood, Hemp’s Meats,” Nicklas said. “There’s a lot of new stuff this year with commercial exhibitors where you can shop: antique benches, bags, hats and all kinds of fun stuff to look at.”
Last, but certainly not least, the third component is the agricultural showcase.
“That is our mission statement, so that’s our most important focus,” Nicklas said. “You’ll see beef, sheep, swine, turkeys, rabbits, goats, alpacas, chickens, just pretty much any animal. We even have a dog show, dairy cows, so there’s something for everyone … The 4H, FFA and youth exhibitors, there’s about 400 of them here this week. They work all year long, grooming their animals and getting them ready for this one-week event.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
