The 140th Warren County Youth Fair had a 19th-century atmosphere added this year. Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Youth Fair sponsor, joined with the Warren County Historical Society to bring a Rural Heritage Festival to the county fairgrounds in Warrensburg this past Saturday, August 11.
The Rural Heritage Festival featured demonstrations and displays of traditional crafts central to life in this county in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Representatives from area historical societies were on hand with displays of photos and artifacts from the past.
The Youth Fair activities included a day-long horse show, an exhibit barn filled with 4-H member projects, a chicken barbeque served by the Haskell Brothers’ VFW Post and a talent show that included a young girl performing the Cha-cha Slide while swirling a Hula-hoop. There was live music on the stage and competition at the horse show pits.
As part of the Rural Heritage Festival, the Adirondack Folk School of Lake Luzerne demonstrated blacksmithing and birch bark picture frame making; the Foothill Treadlers of Fort Ann spun wool from local sheep and the Merry Mohicans spun their partners in square and round dance demonstrations.
Several historic pieces of powered farm equipment from the collection of Tom Davis were on display and a woman in period dress ground corn into a fine meal using a hand-turned grinder. Along the mid-way handcrafted goods were offered for sale and the Valley Road Maple Farm gave out samples of their maple cotton candy.
As a preview to Warrensburg Historical Society’s Sticky Wicket Tournament scheduled for August 12, area town Supervisors competed in the Supervisor’s Croquet Challenge. Supervisor Eugene Merlino of Lake Luzerne was the winner.