The annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is back!
Doors opened 3 p.m. Friday afternoon and thousands excitedly walked through the gates to kick off nine straight days of family-friendly fun.
The Maryland fair features a massive row of all types of food, endless games, rides, main stage areas with feature attractions and a whole section reserved for interacting with local farm animals.
Now in its 74th year, Montgomery County’s feature event drew visitors from far and wide — many of whom raved about the time they were having.
“We traveled all the way from Baltimore, so it’s our first time at the fair!” Graysen Levy said.
Levy was there with friends and colleagues to participate in Friday’s featured attraction, the Chesapeake Dock Dogs contest — a dock jumping contest for man’s best friend.
“You can see dogs of different breeds jump into water,” Levy explained. “They do different types of disciplines: How high, how far, and how fast!”
“We secured a second leg for our club title,” she went on. “Our dog is a 7-year-old American Staffordshire terrier, with a little English bulldog mixed in. His name is Prince!”
While Levy said they mainly came down for the competition, she told WTOP she was blown away by the fair itself.
“This is way bigger than anything we have in Baltimore,” she said. “I’m psyched about the food. I heard there’s funnel cake!”
“Sights and sounds are killing it,” Levy added. “I mean this is literally more than I can discover in two days, so I’m excited.”
“We’ve got so much to do and see,” added Adam Leaman, one of the fair’s media directors assisting organizers with last-minute prep Friday afternoon.
Leaman said that beyond all the fun, there’s still a mission behind the fair, which pays homage to the industry that started it all: agriculture.
“Agriculture gets a little lost, sometimes, but it’s very important,” he told WTOP.
“We also have 4H, who are consistently here with us each and every year, and it is wonderful,” he said, referencing the nonprofit with a mission of youth development at its core.
“We get to see all these young children learn so much about agriculture, about how to raise animals and take care of animals,” Leaman explained. “These kids are so impressive.”
Leaman said they try not to forget that underlying mission — but admits there’s so much to do, even if you don’t go to see the animals.
“I feel like anyone who comes here for the first time — maybe it’s their hundredth time — they’ll still find a way to have fun,” he said.
“I will say — when it comes to the fair itself, our food can’t be beaten,” he added, noting that many of their vendors are repeat customers.
“This is our second year. We have a lot of fun, and we really enjoy coming here,” said Jessica Jorgensen, founder of Olney-based Pacha Mama Juice Co.
In a sea of funnel cakes and fried Oreos, Jorgensen has carved out a niche at the fair selling healthy eats, which include fresh pressed juices, smoothies, wellness shots, fruit salads, toast and protein snacks.
“I just like putting something different out there that connects people in the community back to healthy food!” Jorgensen said. “We even have kale juice the kids like to drink.”
Jorgensen said that while last year was only her first year at the fair, she immediately knew she wanted to come back.
“It’s just like — nostalgia,” she said. “It’s just a fun time to experience food, the animals — I really love the animals. And even though I’m the health nut, I also like my funnel cakes!”
“It’s also the food for me,” said Ana Lizarralde, who came with her friends John McCaffrey, Brayan Flores and Gabriella Perez.
“I love seeing all the families walking around, having fun with their children,” Flores told WTOP, when asked what his favorite part of the fair was. “It’s marvelous.”
“It’s August, midsummer … we are about to go back to school, so just like having fun with your family and friends, I really like that,” Flores added. “I also love experiencing this with my friends too, because they always come out with a great memory that we will talk about for months.”
“There is this ride called ‘Inferno,'” McCaffrey chimed in, when asked what he was looking forward to most. “Last time I was here it was great, and I really want to try it again if they have it. If not, I want to go for ‘The Zipper,’ that looks really fun.”
“I think it reflects Montgomery County in a way,” McCaffrey noted. “I just think it kind of encapsulates our diversity, encapsulates who we are.”
