In the beginning... 

     The initiative for the Anne Arundel County Fair was began
 in the winter of 1952 by Mrs. Lee of Annapolis. Mrs. Lee grew
 up in the farm country of Frederick County where a great fair
 had been held for many years. Approval for the Fair was
 granted by the Maryland State Fair Board in the spring of
 1952 and plans were made for a fair that fall.

     Although it was very late to think of a fair that first
 fall it was held  and was a great success. All those people
 familiar with fairs came forward to help:

 Mr. Duncan
 Mr. Duncan took the Beef Cattle and Hog departments, while
 his wife chaired the 4-H and FFA Junior departments.

 Mr and Mrs. Armstrong
 They both chaired the Farm and Garden department.

 Mr. Wayson, Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Solomon
 They were some of the many others that helped.

     The first Fair was held at the old Labrot Race Track
 near Sandy Point through the courtesy of Mrs. Spence. There
 were beef and dairy cattle, chickens and pigeons of all
 sorts, farm produce, home goods: food and clothes,
 pigs, sheep, a horse pulling contest, rides, games food, a
 queen contest and educational exhibits.

     Crowds of people came - over 20,000! Someone even said
 all of  Anne Arundel County! The race track was a dusty red
 clay that day and a Sunday morning ride through town showed
 just who attended the four day Fair.

     It was a place for old friends to exchange warm 
 pleasantries.
	 
     The following year, 1953, the fair moved to the new
 Sandy Point State Park where it remained for 25 years. 
 Several buildings existed already and more were added. 
 Parking lots  were established. It was a good place to be
 and the park people were very helpful.

     In 1963 the Fair was changed from a stockholders
 corporation to it's current non-profit membership
 organization. Revenue was slowly increasing and a permanent
 fair site was being discussed. It was a long time coming
 but finally, in 1982 the opportunity arrived. The Fair was 
 moved to a site in Crownsville purchased by the Department
 of Natural Resources. The land sits nearly in the exact
 center of the county with good access roads and rolling
 grounds. The Anne Arundel County Fair officially moved to 
 Crownsville in 1984.

     It was a good opportunity to rebuild the Fair and with
 much investment in money and muscle, a strong new crew is
 doing just that. Today's Fair has become a showcase of the
 agriculture and home arts that are slowly eroding from the
 landscape of a county that was once teeming with farms. 
 It has become a place for the entire family to learn about
 Anne Arundel County's past, present and future.

     Mrs. Lee's old fair motto "Come to the Fair" is just as
 good today as  it was then!

Have some Anne Arundel County Fair memories you would like to share with us?
Please email your memories to: aacofair@toad.net