Pre Hartford County 4-H Fair Association - During the years 1931, 1932 & 1933 Hartford County 4-Hers exhibited at the Granby Grange Fair. Starting in 1931 about 150 young 4-Hers exhibited at this fair which grew to over 250 4-H exhibitors by 1933.

1934 -The HartfordCounty 4-H Fair Association was organized and held its first fair at Charter Oak Park in West Hartford.

1935 - Although it was not considered a successful fair and a financial loss was noted, the fair association found ways to cover expenses.

1936 - The fair moved to Cherry Park in Avon. One of the main events was oxen drawing. These years at Cherry Park had an increase in attendance. The Hartford Courant published that 1500 attended the one day fair. Twenty six girls also participated in a fashion review at the fair in preparation for the state contest.

1937 - 2000 spectators attended this one day event.

1938 - Fair admission was $0.25.

1939 - With more activities and a growing number of exhibitors the fair opened its gates for a two day fair with great success.

1940 -Mother nature was not on the side of fairgoers this year, this was the first year that there was rain, this was also the first year to hold a square dance as well as the state sheep show.

1941 -First Doodlebug draw.

1942 – 1944 -Due to the World War II war effort and gas rationing the fair was canceled. Clubs held local events to continue to show off their projects without interfering with the war efforts.

1945 - A small fair was held at Farmington High School, fair president Horace Hallady commented “not on as large a scale as the usual, but a start back over the upward trail”.

1946 - After a full day of exhibiting, the 4-Hers piled into the gymnasium at Farmington High School for a dance.

1947 - Special events that took place at this fair included balloon races, duck races, cross cut saw competitions, a farm bureau picnic and a dance on Saturday night.

1948 -The first 4-H horse show was held with eight horses.

1950 -The greased pole and tractor driving competitions were added. This was also the first year a Victory Banquet was held for the Ad Campaign. The fair also moved from Labor Day weekend to the last weekend in August

1951 - The Hartford Courant reported that close to one thousand 4-H members exhibited at this years fair.

1952 - The fair moved to its first of two homes at Bradley Field, here a little league baseball game was held. Memories recall an excellent food tent run by Kenneth Adam. Advertisers in the premium book were given two complementary tickets to the fair for the first time.

1953- The Fair Association created a sound track for use while advertising through the streets as well as to play at the fair. Toilets were also built on the fairgrounds by the Hartford Trade School. Fair was held Saturday and Sunday and a church service was held at the fairgrounds. Fair association meetings were also gaining popularity with more members attending throughout the year.

1954- Due to the growing demand of premiums due to the increasing number of entries the AdCampaign goal increased to $5,000.

1955 - Two active leaders were lost this year, Advisor Edgar S. Grant, and Ken Adam who ran the food tent.

1956- Newspaper reports stated that good weather helped draw well over 6000 spectators to the fair.

1957 - The fair expanded to three full days.

1958 - The WAC field at Bradley was sold and the state gave the use of land within the Bradley Field Fencing just north of the WAC field.

1959 - Dog Obedience was added to the activities at the fair, the first dog club was formed in East Hartford.

1960 - A paved area was put in place for the food tent.

1961- For the 25th Anniversary the fair introduced the Queens Contest, the first queen was Ann Scheithauer. Fair exhibitors took home silver ribbons for their winning exhibits. Fair Admission was $0.65.

1962 - A poster contest was started for 4-Hers. A growing number of entries in the homemaking tent required an expansion and more tables to be build. Camp craft was added as a class in addition to a Dairy Herdsmen Contest. Operating budget for this year was $12,050.

1963 - Dairy Herdsmen Contest was changed to the Dairy and Beef Herdsman Contest.

1964 - In addition to the normal fair activities, track and field competitions were held.

1965- Operating budget increased to $14,050.

1966- A holiday dance offered fellowship for all ages during the Christmas/New Year vacation. The Fair Association created five $100 scholarships for 4-H members entering the first or second year of college. A photography class was added to the fair.

1967 - Although a wet and rainy weekend President Mike Smyth remembered everyone having a good time.

1968 - 4-H age was changed to 19 compared to 21 that it had been in previous years. Fair improvements included flush toilets and a second horse show ring.

1969- A 4-H food Building was erected at the Bradley Field Fairgrounds, later brought to Fourtown Fairgrounds.

1970 - The homemaking tent saw new table coverings with the purchase of green burlap. Horse judging was held at the fair.

1971 - Hurricane Doria struck Windsor Locks during the fair, using ropes tied to buses and trucks 4-Hers and friends were able to keep the tents, livestock and exhibits from blowing away or becoming damaged. The 4-H Starters automotive club restored and exhibited a 1941 Plymouth Convertible. Six scholarships were awarded from the fair association.

1972 - The Winding Brook 4-H Club donated the Judith Feery Demonstration Trophy. Bicycle Gymkhana was held at the fair.

1973 - A Premium Book Cover contest was started with the winning entry appearing as the cover of the book, Janet Carison won the contest. A Walk-Trot Class was added to the Horse show.

1974 - President Kevin Woolam was the first 2nd Generation Fair President. 4-H Bridges the Gap float was used in the Hartford St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The clover from the float would be used on the stage at the fair for several years.

1975 - The last year that bicycle Gymkhana was held.

1976 - The nation’s bicentennial brought out some 4-H spirit, a handmade bicentennial quilt was raffled off, Dave Potter was the lucky recipient. A bicentennial float was made and was displayed in sixteen parades as well as at the fair. Special ribbons that were red, white, and blue were handed out to exhibits. The baby animal tent was renamed Nap Lavigne Baby Animal Tent, in memory of Nap who started the tent years ago.

1977 - A 4-H talent show is added. Debbie Turner was the first female to enter the Fair Doodle Bug Draw.

1978 - With the increasing number of goat entries they were moved from the poultry and sheep tent to the dairy tent, they were also added to the Herdsmen Contest.

1979- An exhaust fan and screens were installed in the food building.

OCTOBER 3, 1979 A freak tornado all but destroyed the fairgrounds at Bradley Field, losses were estimated at $75,000.

1980 - After the tornado in 1979 a lot of discussion was held about returning to Bradley Field or finding a new home for the fair, Fourtown Fair offered their fairgrounds with the only expense being utilities, a motion at a fair meeting to rebuild Bradley Field passed 42 to 20. The battered fairgrounds were rebuilt at a cost of $31,000 over the normal budget, insurance reimbursement was only $17,000.

1981 - A few traditions were discontinued this year, no poster cover or Herdsmen contests were held. Computer classes were created and the horse draw was dedicated to John Sullivan a fair supporter for over thirty years.

1982 - A Dairy Calf chain was started in Hartford County thanks to the Windsor Locks Rotary Club. Peter Cherichetti received the first calf.

1983- A clown contest was added to the fair, the Hilda Purrington Clown Trophy went to the best clown. The fair association held a picnic at the fairgrounds in July for fun and a little work to be done. Premier Livestock Showmanship was added with the Grand champion being Christine Francis, entries included the champions from Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Swine and Goats.

1984 - Aimee Clarke was the first female president of the Fair Association. No live poultry exhibits were allowed at the fair due to Avian Influenza. The Beef Heifer Chain was started, Ellen Leahey was awarded this animal.

1985 - The 4-H Fair moved to its current location at Fourtown Fairgrounds in Somers. There was no greased pole competition this year, tractor driving contests were revived from past years, other events included Tom Sawyer fence painting and a Heavy weight Doodlebug draw. The Fair Association did not operate a food building this year. More than $20,000 was raised by the annual Advertising Campaign.

1986 - Hartford County 4-H Fair celebrated its 50th Anniversary while trying to find land for a permanent fair location. The buildings and equipment that came from Bradley Field were in storage.

1987 - The premium book was dedicated to Bayard Pelton Jr. who donated the trailers that the fair associations belongings were stored in while searching for a new home.

1988 - Premiums for showmanship classes were added, Dairy and beef $6, $5, $4, $3, Pigs, sheep, goats and dogs $4, $3, $2, Rabbits & Poultry $3, $2, $1.

1989 - A costume class for all livestock animals was held. A new lot in photography included pictures from the previous Hartford County 4-H Fair.

1990 - The 4-H food building that had been at Bradley Field was renovated and permanently placed on the grounds at Fourtown Fairgrounds. The fair premium book got third place at the Association of Connecticut Fairs.

1991 - The fair stayed open an hour less changing the closing time from midnight on Friday and Saturday to 11pm. A motion at a fair meeting was approved to form a Kings Contest along with the Queens Contest, no entry would be made in this contest until 2000.

1992 - An antique tractor pulling competition was held, unfortunately when the fair changed weekends a few years later they could no longer attend the fair.

1993 - With the addition of the large dairy barn at Fourtown Fairgrounds the dairy and goats no longer were housed in tents.

1994- With the outbreak of rabies in the state a ban was put in place that prevented petting some species of animals including rabbits and goats. These animals were placed behind a double fence for protection. Champion rosettes for items in the homemaking building were displayed with the exhibit rather than awarded at closing ceremonies.

1995 - After much discussion the fair association decided to move the fair back a week in August to the weekend of the 18th – 20th. This was done because the older 4-Hers had concerns that they would miss the fair because colleges were starting sooner. The motion to move the weekend passed 62 to 22. Working steer were also added as exhibits to the fair.

1996 - The Homemaking Building was renamed the Exhibition Center to better represent the exhibits on display.

1997 - In the addition of typical food vendors, this year the fair included many crafters that sold items out of the red craft barn. Working Steer were added to the premier showmanship class. Llamas and Alpacas were a new exhibit at the fair. Fair association approved $4,400 to update the electrical system in the new dairy barn at Fourtown Fairgrounds to better accommodate exhibitors, in addition more lights were added to the sheep barn for an additional cost. $5,000 was also approved to replace the concrete blocks used for pulling contests, the blocks being used were from 1951.

1998 - In memory of Leland “Red” Bradley, Austin Harlow raised money for the Red Bradley trophy by holding a contest to guess the number of steps that he walked during work week and fair, the trophy now is awarded at the end of each fair. The horse program expanded to three days, a tent and stalls were ordered to allow space for horses to spend the weekend.

1999 - The growing sheep program filled the barn and a tent was put up outside the barn to house all of the tack

2000 - Jeff Fusick Was the first Hartford County 4-H King

2001 - Publicity committee started to create brochures to pass out throughout the community to help advertise the fair.

2002 - This year marked the 4-H centennial anniversary, celebrating 100 years of 4-H a special ceremony was held at the fair. With a nationwide push to become environmentally friendly the fair association decided to implement recycling of soda and water bottles at the fair.

2003 - With over 100 goats they could no longer fit into the dairy barn, a tent was rented and half of the goats stayed in the goat tent.

2004 - A year of bad weather caused major flooding throughout the fairgrounds, 4-Hers entered fitting and showmanship covered in mud after digging trenches around tents. A lightning strike that hit Steve Zoppa’s parked doodle bug gave an electrifying jolt to the fairgrounds during the middle of the night.

2005 - A donkey and mule show was added as a one day show in future years this would expand to a full weekend exhibit.

2006 - A group of 4-Hers working on service projects developed and implemented a program known as animal buddies to help kids with special needs show livestock at the fair, this program continues to have several exhibitors.

2007 - With the success of recycling from years before, the fair association purchased recycle bins,in addition new announcer stands were built for the livestock show rings.

2008 - New fire codes caused some last minute changes including finding twenty fire extinguishers the day before the fair, also people staying overnight were no longer able to sleep in barns with the animals. A food drive was held at the fair to raise food for CT Food Share.

2009 - The fair association changed the bylaws to include junior advisors to assist with mentoring officers. Junior advisors are young adults recently aged out of 4-H.

2010 - Several new features this year included an Open Horse Show, a 5k Road Race and a Battle of the Bands Competition, Connecticut Masons were also invited to provide free child identification kits to families.

2011 - Successfully hitting another milestone the fundraising committee introduced a special mug with a fair design to celebrate the 75th anniversary. Chris Ferguson put together a time of news articles and photos from all the years that stretched over two hundred feet long.

2012 - A much smaller fair than normal as there were no amusements at the fair and entries as a whole were fewer. A new event was a movie at the fair showing Charllet’s Web on a big screen where the amusements have been in previous years.

2013 - A great year with near record attendance over the last ten years, amusements were back, 4-Hers participated in Ag Olympics which had not happened in several years. The horse draw happened on Friday night vs Saturday so that it is not competing with another fair this proved to be successful. Program committee challenged clubs to make a mini golf hole in order to create a small course to go along with the game tent.

2020 - Due to a worldwide pandemic of COVID, Fair Association voted to host a virtual fair.

2021- Although the pandemic was still happening, the fair was allowed to occur in person at the Four Town Fairgrounds. It got cut two a 2 day fair because of a Tropical Storm that was going to hit CT on Sunday.

2023- The fair held a touch a truck event which brought in a large crowd the parking lot across the street had to be opened. The fair was advertised on two local news stations that brought in lots of new visitors!