The Great Frederick Fair has been held for the last 200 years, meaning that it first started around the time of the Civil War.It is held usually in the third week of September every year and located at the Frederick Fairgrounds on East Patrick Street. The premise of the fair is to bring the community together, showcase agriculture and education, and bring fun to Frederick County. It continues to bring joy to the community every year.
The Great Frederick Fair is a great money-maker for the county, generating over $420,000 in revenue from over 240,000 attendees.
Many Frederick natives have been attending the fair annually since they were young.
Local resident Allison Johnson shares her past with the Frederick Fair.
“When I was little, my mom made me show off goats, and I did that up until I was 14,” Allison Johnson said. “The fair has not changed much; we just got more rides and vendors now than when I was growing up at the Frederick fair.”
The fair offers many attractions such as food vendors, art and entertainment, livestock shows and carnival rides. Many people enjoy going to the fair for all it has to offer; however, some people despise it.
Local Frederick resident Michael Stevens, who lives across the street from the fair, shares the latter opinion.
“These people [fair attendees] think my yard and driveway are accessible for them to park when it is private property,” Stevens said.
On the other hand, Lindsey Seipp from the Corn Crib Boutique believes The Great Frederick Fair has had an extremely positive impact on local businesses by bringing more support.
“We have been coming to the Frederick Fair for the last four to five years,” Seipp said. “Having our sign up in front of our vendor has brought so many more customers than we would have expected because our business is kind of hidden behind other places, so no one really knows about us.”
