Caroline Dorchester County Fair

The annual Caroline Dorchester County Fair ran August 6 through 9, at the 4-H Park in Denton.

Photographers Mickey Pullen and Melody Prairie captured the variety of events and contests.

Prairie paints a  picture of her experience at the Fair below. 

The grass is an ultra-green hue, almost blue, walking across the grounds at the 4H Park on Detour Road. The smell of hay and barnyard animals wafts across the air, the scent of rural eastern Maryland. Food trucks are set up along the path surrounding the Reger Pavilion selling everything from adult beverages and cotton candy to burgers, fries and barbeque. I buy a raspberry lemonade at the suggestion of another attendee, and the sweet tart beverage hits every sense exactly where needed, with the scent of fresh squeezed lemons and the cold refreshing liquid in my throat. The light drizzle coming down on this cloudy Wednesday evening seems to bother no one, especially not the kids running from one animal exhibit to the next.

Inside the main building vendors are lined up in little quads, offering information, handmade crafts, and friendship. In a room off to the side, there’s an entire village surrounded by electric trains and the children don’t seem to want to leave when their parents call them to come. The whir of the little trains on the tracks brings back childhood memories of Christmases at home.

A little before 6pm, people begin to gather in the Reger Pavilion for the Royal Pageant. Six contestants of varying ages sit in the chairs at the front wearing their best and looking like little country beauty queens. Some wear formal wear, while others wear their cowgirl boots and denim skirts. The young ladies are interviewed by the emcee, and each takes their place to wait for the talent portion of the pageant. Once the judges have had an opportunity to deliberate, the emcee announces the winners, and they are crowned by last year’s Royal Court.

The Fair Queen this year is Macrina Zdobysz, 16 years old and in her ninth year in 4H. Macrina is home schooled, and she wrote an essay in lieu of performing a talent. Her essay was about seeing other young girls looking up to their role models. She hopes to be a good role model as Fair Queen.

Fair Princess this year goes to Madison Watson, 13 years old and a student at Lockerman Middle School. Madison raises pigs and has been in 4H for seven years. When asked who her biggest role model is, Madison said her dad because he can fix anything. The emcee then asks who she would want to meet, living or dead and why, and Madison says she would love to have met Albert Einstein because she thinks he would be someone she could learn a lot from.

Madison sings the National Anthem for her talent in the contest, while the audience stands and sings along.

Little Princess is awarded to Emma Citro, 10 years old and a 5th grader at Ridgely Elementary School. Emma says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up. She enjoys participating in dance and cheer and she performs a dance for her talent.

Across the park are the barns, which house goats, pigs and cows in their stalls with their names and the names of their human care givers hanging above. These animals have been raised by young people who are following in their parents and grandparents’ footsteps, learning everything they can about agriculture by actually doing the work. Most of the animals will be sold at auction during the fair, and they are also entrants in a different kind of beauty contest.

In another barn is a horse and miniature pony, Miracle and Patrick respectively. They seem to pose when a picture is being taken. They know the drill. Their humans are clearly training them right. The goats do the same. I lift my phone over the edge of the enclosure and say, “Hi!” and they turn towards me, see the phone and tilt their heads for their photo opportunity.

There’s an agriculture museum on the grounds. Historic combines and tillers and various equipment used in the area for the last century are labeled and organized with a path between. Some of the items look like they could be pulled out and put back into use if necessary. Others are clearly well-used and out of commission. All are testaments to the culture and lifestyle that has supported the area for more than three centuries. And that is the whole point of the Caroline Dorchester County Fair, to perpetuate the culture and lifestyle of agriculture for future generations.