Everyone Meets At The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Be prepared to “Barnyard Boogie” during the largest county fair in the State of Maryland. From Friday, August 13th through Saturday, August 21st, 2010, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair will include all of the time-tested favorites at the fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. You can expect the pig races, animal barns, and home project competitions along with the thrilling carnival rides. Ever since I moved to Montgomery County 18 years ago, I’ve always sought out this community gathering.

As Temperance Blalock told me,

Every year I see at least one person there that I haven’t seen for a long time; it’s one place that almost everyone in the area visits at least once during the fair, so it’s definitely a thing that brings together the community.

Beyond the rides and attractions, the Fair seeks to educate everyone about agriculture and encourage future generations to farm. Although growing up a city girl right outside of New York, I spent many of my summers working at my Uncle Woodrow’s dairy farm. The Fair brings back memories of caring for the cows, pigs, and ducks. I love the smell of the hay even after all those hot days in the barn loft! Since many people don’t have the opportunity to work on a family farm, visiting the Fair is a perfect way to teach kids about the lifestyle. The little ones love the animals so much.

Behind the scenes, the agricultural center helps terminally ill children with a special VIP program. A group of 4-H and FFA members along with staff and volunteers bring the fair to Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville. Young patients who can’t attend are treated to a fair like atmosphere in the hospital. This program also brings children facing life-threatening illnesses to the Fair to be treated like royalty for a day.

Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, depends on more than 2,000 volunteers to make the Fair successful. The business community also sponsors programs providing financial relief for the VIP Terminally Ill Program, Senior Citizen’s Day, and the entertainment. Since the first group of people began the Fair in 1945, volunteers make it happen. In 1949 they had a good, old-fashioned barn raising but today volunteers are needed for clerical work in the office, ground maintenance, concession stands, off-season rentals, banquets, and committee service. To become a volunteer, call (301) 926-3100.

Who’s going to the Fair?

Participating at the Fair is a tradition for many Rockvillians. Please let us know in the comments if you are competing, performing or volunteering. We’d love to know!

Animal Exchange

Photo of the 2009 Hermit Crab Races from the Animal Exchange

Every year you can count on Ruth Hanessian’s Hermit Crab Race from the Animal Exchange. Stop by the competition (next to the pig race) on Wednesday, August 18th at 3:30PM. This is serious competition with engraved cups for the fastest and the funniest. If you don’t have a crab, she’ll rent one to you for the competition. One year the Kensington Fire Department came and raced their crabs. Usually the “king and queen” come to the races, and Ruth always likes to see the royal court. This year, as she did last year, she’ll assign a crab to each of the court members.

Ruth also has fond memories which lead her to the Fair each year:

I love the Fair because when you grow up in a no-pet apartment in New York, this is the most wonderful exposure to the real world that I can possibly imagine. As a child, I traveled to my Aunt Mary’s farm and had never seen a ground frog or chickens before the visit. Of course I had to go across the barbed-wire fence. I was so amazed at what animals really are.

Last week my kids and their friends caught crabs while on vacation in Maine and released them by having a race across the beach. Everyone was yelling at the top of their lungs for a winner so I know the hermit crab races will be a highlight of the Fair.

Temperance Blalock

Double Blind Brew

Regular Rockville Central contributor, Temperance Blalock, won first place in the “spice/herb/vegetable” category for her Holiday brew last year and she’s back for the homebrewing competition. She’s submitted 13 batches of Double Blind Brew. When asked about the experience, she explained:

I love the fair so much!! I love the food, the smell of horse manure, the loud noises, the people wandering around in huge packs, the sun beating down during the day, and then the hypnotic lights of the thrill rides in the evening and the night.

And, I LOVE the high of winning a competition. It was so exciting when I won a blue ribbon last year, and now this year it’s not just myself, there are three of us “brewers” now in Double Blind Brewery, and Andy and Lucie are tremendously excited about winning. Actually, the most fun part is receiving back the “notes’ from the professional judges. We learn a lot from those.

She tells us a “closed” brewing was done this past weekend. They’ve already picked the 20 semi-finalists, which will be judged publicly this coming Saturday at the fairgrounds.

Rockville Swing Band

Photo from the Rockville Swing Band

The entertainment schedule packs a big boogie punch with our own Rockville Swing Band taking the stage at 7 PM on Tuesday, August 17th. The Band will perform contemporary jazz big band arrangements as well as traditional swing charts from the Golden Era. The talented members of the band come from all over the DC metro area for weekly rehearsals in the cottage of the Rockville Mansion and this promises to be a real crowd pleaser.

Here’s all the details:

FAIR HOURS (Gates close at 11PM for entry)
Friday August 13th: 3 PM-12 Midnight
Saturday, August 14th – Saturday, August 21st 10 AM-12 Midnight
Animal & barn exhibits, Home Arts, Arts & Crafts and Old Timers not open until Sunday, August 15th at 12 Noon!!

CARNIVAL HOURS
Friday August 13th: 3 PM- 12 Midnight
Saturday, August 14th-Saturday, August 21st: 12 Noon-12 Midnight

How much is this going to cost?

General Admission: $10.00 per person. Children 11 and Under are FREE. Free same-day re-entry is available with hand stamping at the gate

Parking: $5.00 per car. My son’s Boy Scout Troop 447  from Rockville works to park the cars. When you go, please be careful not to run over my son and husband! Please be courteous and pay attention to everyone in the red hats. The Troop has been parking cars for over 40 years and their system works if everyone cooperates!

Free parking at Lake Forest Mall with a free shuttle to the Fairgrounds stop at Lost Knife Road and Odendhal Avenue.

If you want to go on the rides, the Carnival Mega-Pass one-day ride wristband: $25.00

Wristband discounts:

On Friday, August 13, Opening Day, Carnival Mega-Pass one-day ride wristband
will be $9.95 from 3pm to Midnight.

Monday, August 16 & Wednesday, August 18, Family Day, purchase Carnival Mega-Pass
one-day ride wristband for $15.00 from 12 noon until 5pm, ride until midnight.

Tuesday, August 17, Senior Citizen’s Day, Free admission to all ages 62 and over
from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

You must pay extra for the Grandstand shows including the Rodeo, Tractor Pull, Monster Truck Madness and Demolition Derby. But, you can even ride in a monster truck! Info on discounts is in the brochure.

Meet you at the Fair!

Science Cafe is April 21

Here’s a note from our dear friend >Ruth Hanessian:

What has 10,000 legs and lives in your back yard? That question will be answered this Wednesday, April 21 at 7:00 PM at Branded ’72 by Dr. Gary Hevel from the Smithsonian. Do join us for another Science Cafe, FREE of course, with a chance to learn and question an expert from right here in Montgomery County. There are wonderful food and beverage choices available for purchase as usual and we know you will enjoy the evening.

Ruth On The Cockatiels

>Rockville Central friend Ruth Hanessian has another one of her fabulous YouTube videos up, and no it is not a humorous dig at a political figure or anything boring like that. No, this one, like all of Ruth’s videos, is chock full of information!

It’s about The Cockatiels!

(You can see the video again here, if the embedded version above isn’t working.)

Keep ‘em coming, Ruth!

Ruth On The Parakeets

Our good friend >Ruth Hanessian, who is the owner of Animal Exchange, along with neighbor (and also Rockville Central friend) Chas Hausheer, has once again put together a video. She’s becoming quite the YouTube phenom — which, if you know Ruth, you would net expect. Ruth will be the first to tell you she does not work with these Internets very comfortably.

I’ve embedded her latest video below. It’s all about parakeets.

(If you are getting this article by email and the video does not come through, come back to the blog to see it!)

You can listen to Ruth this Friday at noon on Rockville Central Radio. Just come to the blog (or go here) to listen.

Ruth Talks Guinea Pigs

If you listened to last week’s welcome-back edition of >Rockville Central Radio, you know that our friend Ruth Hanessian, who is the owner of Animal Exchange, called in to tell us a bit about guinea pigs — great pets for kids.

Along with neighbor (and Rockville Central friend) Chas Hausheer, Ruth has once again put together a video that tells more about these fabulous creatures. I’ve embedded it below (if you are getting this article by email and the video does not come through, come back to the blog to see it!):

Speaking of which, we hope you will tune into today’s edition of Rockville Central Radio at noon.

Just come here to the blog and click the link at the right to listen. To dial in (and we hope you will), just call 646-200-3332.

Among other features, we will have Ruth back to talk about . . . parrot psychology.

No, I can’t wait either.

Contributor Opinion by Ruth Hanessian: Of Mixed Use And Mice

>The following contributor opinion is by Rockville Central friend Ruth Hanessian:

The proposal that is being pushed by the new zoning ordinance currently being reviewed by the council seems a backward step to me. Mixed use, as it is called, takes me back to my days as a child in the Bronx when one of my friends lived over the candy store. It looked like a great idea until I visited and realized that I had a much cleaner apartment in a Met life development. Sure there were lots of apartments, but very little commercial and consequently, no mice and other visitors that were drawn to the store trash.

Rockville’s new downtown seems to not be filling the apartments very fast. That may be price but I am already hearing of folks moving out because of late night entertainment below them that interferes with their sleep. There is also concern about the restaurant dumpsters odors and what they attract. I was pleased to see rat bait boxes in the garage adjacent to CVS but what self respecting rat would not head for the gourmet food adjacent.

Urban living does have it’s plus side, but I for one am glad that I live in an area that benefits from the old wedges and corridors concept. Mixed use is a nice name but it does not reflect the reality of the outcome.I only hope that those property owners blessed with this new designation will think twice about their civic responsibility and not just the bottom line.

Rockville Central runs occasional, edited opinion pieces by contributors as well as other guest columns. Their views are not necessarily those of Rockville Central. We encourage you to join the growing list of contributors! To submit your piece for consideration, contact us.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more…

Ruth Is On The Video!

As >Rockville Central readers may know, one of my favorite people in town is Ruth Hanessian of Animal Exchange. Her shop (in the center just south of the Giant) is an honest-to-God crossroads. I always meet someone fun when I go there to buy my crickets. (I have a gecko.)

Ruth is a bird expert. Prodded by her friends, she has created a video on how to feed birds by hand and posted it to YouTube. I’ve embedded it below:

(If you are reading this by email, the video won’t come through and you will have to come to the site.)

For those of you who are privileged to know Ruth, you understand what a monumental leap this is for her (she is not known as an Internet early-adopter).

I hope this is just the beginning of a series of how-tos!