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It’s hot. Must be Delaware State Fair time

At night, the Delaware State Fair comes alive with color from the numerous rides and booths. The fair in Harrington runs through Saturday, July 29. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Ron MacArthur
July 26, 2023

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The Delaware State Fair off Route 13 in Harrington winds up Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, with a full slate of activities, including an antique tractor pull and Nanticoke Indian dancing on Saturday.

For 10 days, the fair offers a seemingly endless array of entertainment, concerts, events and contests. While the Wades Shows Midway dominates the 300-acre site, there is much, much more to the state fair with its roots firmly in agriculture from the first fair in July 1920 on a 30-acre site.

The fair offers every kind of food imaginable, including fried Oreos and Twinkies, and a nightly parade, farm machinery, beer garden, marketplace, free entertainment, big-name concerts, exhibits and contest winners in dozens of ag-related activities, Circus Hollywood, petting zoo, livestock contests and exhibits in the 4-H and Future Farmers of America, University of Delaware, Delaware Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control buildings.

And also horseshoe pitching, ice-cream making, Hollywood Racing Pigs and pig kissing, lawn tractor races, Lego building, state championship duck and goose calling, and pony, horse, miniature horse, sheep, beef cattle, hogs and saddle horse performances, just to name a few of the many activities at the 2023 fair.

The fair attracts more than 307,000 visitors each year.

Go to delawarestatefair.com for more information.

 

Hadleigh Gissly, 8, of Harrington shows off her Best in Breed hog during a July 26 competition. Animal competitions are still the backbone of the annual state fair.
Axel Landry, 7, of Harrington finishes up shearing one of his family’s sheep, named Boogie, in preparation for an upcoming contest.
You never know what you will see at the Delaware State Fair, including larger-than-life Robot Rangers roaming the grounds.
Volunteers take care of a long line of hungry customers at The Grange food stand, which has been a longtime fair tradition. The platters of chicken, corn, tomatoes and potato salad have stood the test of time and always taste good.
Seaford farmer Craig Truitt drives his Massey Ferguson tractor during the nightly state fair parade.
A whole lot of sheering has been taking place in the state fair’s sheep barn.
Coraline Stephens takes a break and finds a cool spot resting on her young cow.
Winning a game on the Midway is either pure luck or pure skill. In any case, most are a lot more challenging than they look.
Camel rides? Why not? The state fair tends to feature the exotic from time to time, including racing pigs.
Goats of all sizes stay together in the state fair’s petting zoo. The crowd-favorite giraffe is retired and living in Florida.
A Zebu, or humped cow, must not be hungry as it turns its back and takes a break in the petting zoo.
What would the state fair be without dozens of spinning, twirling and upside down rides? This year’s fair has dozens of rides for children (and those young at heart) of all ages.
The Wades Shows giant Ferris wheel dominates the night skyline in Harrington.
How many people do you see walking around with one of these super-sized plush animals? The answer is not many unless you are planning to spend a lot of money playing one game on the Midway.
If you like fried foods, the state fair is the place to be. And where else can you find fried Oreos and Twinkies?

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