Vintage Community Fair coming to Harrington

HARRINGTON – The Harrington Area Chamber of Commerce Newsletter has announced a new community event—Harrington Vintage Country Fair. The fair is set for June 26, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The chamber’s website promises vendors, farm equipment, music and street dancing at the event while asking residents to stay tuned for more information.

Harrington fair history

In the news of September 1899 a "County Fair" was being organized with committees with the following headings: Woman's Exhibit and Decoration, (Mrs Horace Haynes of Harrington member), Finance, Music and Entertainment, Transportation, Races, Advertising, Exhibits and Judges and Awards.

The following ran in the June 10, 1899 issue of the Harrington Citizen:

"Interest in the county fair is increasing, and the indications are that the initial effort will exceed all early promises. A building 60 X 100 ft. is being erected at the race course for fair purposes. Besides the races, base ball games, Edison's Waragraph, etc., the musical concerts will be a pleasant feature. The Sprague and Davenport bands will both be in attendance. Advices show that the displays will be extensive, and some districts are already sending in their exhibits. The programs will be issued in a few days, giving the list of prizes and other information."

Those working with current organizations can well understand the effort that it would take in that year to bring an event such as a Fair to fruition.

"The Lincoln county fair will be under full swing before another issue of this paper. The important event will begin on the 19th, next Wednesday, and continue four days. The undertaking has been carried forward under great difficulties, but the management has met with such hearty encouragement that it feels assured of a highly successful exhibition. Quite a number of exhibits have already been received and more are to follow, the whole making a very creditable display. There will be horse races, foot races, bicycle races, a baby show, war pictures, vocal and instrumental concerts, and a number of other features to attract and amuse the crowd. Let everybody turn out and help make this first county fair a big success,” the Oct. 13, 1899 issue of the “Citizen” read.

As is often the case with October weather, the fair was shadowed they had what they described as "extremely bad weather". About 2,500 people were in attendance on the Saturday of the fair.

Car show update

The chamber’s recent newsletter also gave an update on the 9th Annual Harrington Car Show on May 15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a catered lunch, vendors, live music, raffles, a swap meet and more. If applicable, COVID-19 restrictions will be posted on the car show’s Facebook page.

– Editor Drew Lawson contributed to this story.