Cumberland Fair kicks off 154th year, bringing agriculture and entertainment to Maine

Fair season is underway across Maine, and the Cumberland Fair opened Sunday (WGME).

CUMBERLAND, ME (WGME) – Fair season is underway across Maine, and the Cumberland Fair opened Sunday. It went as scheduled despite rainy, windy weather from a nor’easter that forced some event cancellations.

Now in its 154th year, the Cumberland Fair has long mixed agriculture, entertainment and food for families. “We’ve got a ton of things happening all week long. Every single day is different,” said Liz Tarantino, secretary of the Cumberland Fair.

Agriculture and education remain central to the fair, with livestock, agricultural exhibits and competitions alongside midway rides. “An agricultural fair is an experience for all ages. You are going to see everything from a baby pig to a giant draft horse. You’re going to be able to experience a rodeo. You’re going to be able to ride the Ferris wheel and then marry go round. You get a little bit of everything along with some of the best food possible,” Tarantino said.

This year, the Cumberland and Fryeburg fairs will not overlap. Organizers said they are glad the schedule has returned to what it had been historically. “We have our fair dates, and they have their fair dates. The state, you know, reviewed the case and we are very pleased with the decision that they made. And we’re happy to be able to be past that and move forward,” Tarantino said.

The nor’easter’s wind and rain led to the cancellation of some outdoor events at the start of the fair. “It is raining and we have had to cancel a couple of things that were outdoor events. But we’ve got a lot of things happening inside our buildings all day long,” Tarantino said.

Even with the weather, people still turned out for opening day.

The fair runs from today through Saturday, Oct. 3.

Learn more about different fair events here.

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