Delaware State Fair centennial celebration continues July 19

The Delaware State Fair is celebrating its 100th year of fair festivities as Delaware’s major summer attraction for families from across the peninsula to enjoy.

Attendees should expect traditional fair food, rides, fireworks, music and agriculture along with much more, including the return of the Livestock Parade of Champions, a fair-favorite pastime.

“I am thrilled and looking forward to the comeback of the Livestock Parade of Champions,” said Ron Draper, Delaware State Fair board of directors president. “We did it several years ago, and it was truly the heart of the fair. Our youth put a lot of hard work into their livestock, and this is their shining moment to show off their award-winning grand and reserve champions.”

Grandstand fireworks displays are scheduled for several nights throughout the fair. Other centennial firsts include the parading of the Budweiser Clydesdales team and carriage and a 9,500-square-foot Touch-A-Truck outdoor display.

Bill DiMondi, general manager for 11 years and 12-year board president, says tradition plays a big role in many fairgoers’ decisions to return each year. The biggest draw for patrons throughout fair history is its dedication to showcasing the area’s agriculture, farmers, agribusiness and livestock.

“For 100 years, visitors seek annually to recapture the experiences that they enjoyed as children themselves, and then they bring their children and grandchildren,” said DiMondi. “The fair is truly a multigenerational experience that highlights the traditions but introduces something new and fresh each year.”  


In lieu of cutting thousands of birthday cake slices to hand out to guests, the fair purchased 30,000 two-packs of Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets to distribute to all attendees. Adults can wash them down with an exclusive Fair Centennial Craft Beer developed by Big Oyster Brewery, available in the Roost and concert beverage sale locations.

After digging into those Tastykakes, fairgoers can dig into the event’s history. The evolution of the Delaware State Fair over the last century has been captured in time and is now available to the public to cherish for years to come. A screening of the “Treasured Memories Fair” video will be running in the exhibit hall during the fair. The public can also purchase the “Reflections of the Fair” DVD at the front desk and buy a copy of the “Treasured Traditions” soft-bound book on Amazon for $35. The memoir includes a collection of photos gathered over the years through a coordinated effort with the Delaware Public Archives.

“As president, I witnessed the fair’s biggest building boom, costing over $10 million, when the exhibit hall, administration offices, Schabinger Pavilion, Kent and Sussex barns, and Centre Ice Arena were built,” said DiMondi. “The fair was fortunate to have been the beneficiary of owning 77 percent of Harrington Raceway and Casino, and the dividends received allowed the fair board to do wonderful things throughout the fairgrounds.”   

“I credit the success and longevity of the Delaware State Fair to the board, the staff and most importantly the community,” said Draper. “Our founding fathers back in 1919, sitting around the old train station, could have never envisioned the fair as it looks today. It’s quite amazing.”

This year, the Delaware State Fair launched a newly designed website with direct access to a lineup of special centennial events, concerts, tickets, a fair calendar and a planning application for visitors to save events of interest. For more information, go to www.delawarestatefair.com.