Fair
The Fair
We can’t wait to see you at Fair this year, Saturday August 11, 2012! This event culminates our summer and we welcome parents, friends, alumni and local residents to join us from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Each summer, F&W hosts our own version of an old-fashioned country fair. We're honing our plans for this year's Fair, but here is a sampling of what happened last year: Crafts by campers, delicious food, handmade rides and activities and skits, songs and music. The day culminates with a boisterous outdoor square dance and the lighting of a huge bonfire.
2011 Fair
SCHEDULE:
- 11 a.m. Shuttles start from Bear Creek parking
- 11:30 a.m. Arrival of ALL CAMPS - we will parade together into the Fairgrounds
- 12:00 p.m. Everyone seated, welcome, introduction of trustees and directors
- 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Concessions
- 4 p.m. Cleanup
- 4:30 p.m. Hoagie handout for campers and staff (guests should bring a picnic dinner)
- 5 p.m. Square dance
- 6 p.m. Fire lighting ceremony/fire (conches start at 6:30 to foreshadow departure)
- 7 p.m. Departure for campers.
- 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fair after party at the Saltash Inn.
- All visitors are asked to leave by 8 p.m. (conch will sound)
TO BRING:
Be prepared! Sunscreen,water bottle, bathing suit, raincoat, towel, picnic foods if you are staying through the evening, instrument if you wish to join the string band!
NOT TO BRING:
Pets of any kind! Alcohol, tobacco of any kind or illegal drugs.
WHERE TO PARK:
From F&W main entrance, go south 3 miles on Rte. 100 (away from Rte. 4 and toward Ludlow). Look for signs on your right for Bear Creek. From the F&W entrance, it is 11.9 miles to Bear Creek. From Route 103E to Bear Creek, it is 8.9 miles. We have signs and staff at the parking area to direct you! Please do not plan to leave your pet in the car - leave them at home for the day!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
On Fair Day, all of our summer programs come together for a final celebration. You can expect to see campers and staff from every camp, to meet your friends and alumni, and to visit with families as well! It is a highly organized, yet casual day. Campers will have crafts and foods for sale and there will be educational materials available and demos happening. In addition, you'll get a chance to purchase a FAIR 2011 t-shirt, too! Join us at noon for the opening welcome greeting and skit, and then enjoy concessions, homemade rides, and visiting throughout the afternoon. Try the human-powered Ferris wheel and Aquachute, eat some camper-cooked foods, and pick up crafts - everything supports our fundraising for next year's CAMPERSHIPS!
At 4 p.m., we will begin to clean up and we feed dinner to our campers and staff. If you are staying into the evening, please remember to bring picnic foods - we can't always provide enough dinner time food for all of our guests! At 5 p.m., we will move off the Fairgrounds and onto the Soccer Field for the Dancing and Bonfire lighting ceremony. All guests are welcome and invited to stay until you hear the conch sound for departure. We'll run shuttles all day until 8 p.m. to help you to-and-from your vehicles.
AFTER FAIR:
Why does Fair end at 8 p.m.? All of our campers have a closing ceremony with their cabins or lodges from the summer. We try to end Fair promptly so that kids can get back for final appreciations and ceremonies before they head home. For F&W alumni, there is an event beginning at 7 p.m. at the Saltash Inn in Plymouth.
EMERGENCIES:
Camp directors, F&W trustees and many camp staff are available for parents, guests and alumni to speak with all throughout the Fair. Other staff (such as our Camp Nurses and emergency responders) will be available for health incidents or emergencies. We also will have transportation available if an emergency arises to get campers or adults where they need to go. The Barn Day Camp will be the designated health center for the day.
FOR ALUMNI:
Please note that the Fair is not a time to go visit your old camp - all the staff and campers are at the Fairgrounds, so no guests are allowed back at the camps. Also, camping on property is not allowed on Fair night!
- Cost: The Fair is free of charge. Attendees can purchase tickets to be used at the concession stands.
- Where to Stay: For a list of local accommodations, click here.
- Camping: There is no camping at F&W. For information about state parks in the area, go to www.vtstateparks.com and look up "Coolidge" or "Camp Plymouth." You can also call toll free to reserve a campsite at 888-409-7579. Within 14 days of the Fair, you can call Coolidge directly to reserve at 802-672-3612, or Camp Plymouth at 802-228-2025. Cost is $14-$23 depending which option you choose.
- Pets: Absolutely NO PETS at the Fair. Dogs and other pets brought to the Fair will not be allowed on the shuttles and anyone with a pet on the Fairgrounds will be escorted off the property.
DIRECTIONS TO F&W:
For driving directions to F&W, visit the Driving Directions page.
Fair images from August, 2011
For pictures of last year's Fair, please visit here.
