Youth volunteers (from L to R) Cameron Ogilvie, Reed Kelderman and Austin Luckhardt spruce up benches on Monday at the Orono Fair grounds. It was ‘all hands’ on deck as fair preparations went into high gear. The Orono Fair opens on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
The Orono Fair turns 169 this weekend. That’s over a century and a half of a community coming together, people volunteering their time and talents. Without volunteers – over 250 if you are counting, the event we love so much wouldn’t happen.
Interested in entering the Ambassador of the Fair competition, but just not sure. Kassidy Gilroy, 2022-2023 Orono Fair Ambassador shares her experience and will be there with you as a mentor for your term.
I once entered the most unusual pet contest. It was either in 1975 or 1976 – either way, I was at The Pines and on the Friday afternoon local schools went to the fair.
For the first 20 years the ‘Clarke Agricultural Society’ held the annual show in the Village of Newcastle. The ‘show’ then alternated between Newcastle and Orono – even years in Newcastle, odd years in Orono. Orono finally became its forever home in 1895.
Like many of the traditional World Fairs, the Orono Fair saw it’s share of new technology. In 1858, it showcased the washing machine. In 1895, the wonders of the sewing machine were demonstrated. In 1912, Seymour Power Company demonstrated electricity. Crowds lined up to see toast being made, food cooked in an oven – clothes ironed.
David Gibson was on hand at the Newcastle Horticulture Society’s Late Summer Show and meeting with apples and apple cider (courtesy of Algoma Orchards) to talk about.
Eileen Parry, presented Bonnie Bedford – Jones with a 10-year membership pin. Both Bonnie and Eileen have been instrumental in the success of the Newcastle Horticulture Society for many years
Vicki Muscat, Newcastle Horticultural Society’s current president, and long-time member, has been growing dahlias for some years. The first prize has been elusive, but “I finally won!” the Judges Choice for her Decorative Dahlias.
Newcastle Horticultural Society held their Late Summer Show and meeting on Wednesday night. Many members brought out their prize blooms for show and judging. Kathy Mercz, Lynda MacGregor, Marge Freethy and Marie Speziale, were among the winners.
The boys are having fun – whether they’re playing in their home basement studio or on stage at the Orono Fair, it’s all about the music. The band Crooked Creek consists of Mike Glass, lead guitar and vocals, Steve Haines, guitar and vocals, Terry Deeth on drums and Steve Cottrell on bass guitar. Haines and Glass sat down with the Orono Weekly Times last Thursday, talking about music and what it has brought into their lives.
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. The things around us, that we drive, fly on, play on, go through, enter, give away, hang onto, all have signs, or tags and identification markers. They can be numbers, letters, or symbols, pictures. Some are pretty straightforward.