128th Little World’s Fair is one big deal

Ashley Luckey of Kenoza Lake was this year’s Master Showman

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — For the past 128 years on a weekend in late August, the bucolic hamlet of Grahamsville has become a beehive of activity, agricultural showmanship, great food, rides and family fun.

Last weekend’s Little World’s Fair lived up to the standard people have come to expect from the three-day non-stop panoply of animals on display, and entertainment galore—including this year’s Grahamsville Idol competition—booths for perusing and purchasing an infinite variety of goods and the social perks of meeting people you know on the midway.

Just a few hours at the fair can offer up a plenitude, as you visit the 4-H Youth Barn to see the kids’ crafts, learn from master gardeners, find out about beekeeping, learn a few new culinary tricks and ogle the animals in the barn, from puff ball bunnies to contentedly sleeping pigs, and onto the astounding array of cows, many of whom won prizes during the weekend.

But when it comes to raising prize-winning cows each year, Ashley Luckey of Kenoza Lake is bound to be in the mix. Luckey, who has been spending countless hours each day for the past 11 years tending and raising prize winners, walked off with this year’s Master Showman trophy, the top award winner among all of the fair’s kid contestants. Luckey was busy grooming Dana, her gorgeous Holstein, when this writer found her sharing her experiences with passersby.

Junior champion trophies for Ashier, Shorthorn and Guernsey were part of the day’s winnings as well for the recently graduated senior from Sullivan West.

Over on the entertainment stage the finalists in this year’s Grahamsville Idol were wowing the crowd. Included among them were Evelyn Hett of Sullivan West, who won the 15-21 year old category, and talented senior citizen Frank Commando, whose version of “Mack the Knife,” had the crowd rocking and smiling.

Needless to say, the food was delectable, and the butterfly tent, featuring an array of active monarch butterflies, was a delight unto itself. Kids screamed with delight from the top of the Ferris wheel and the other riveting rides that whipped them through space.

Blue skies prevailed, as did fun for all.

Be sure to be on hand next August for number the 129th Annual Little World’s Fair. It’s all-world fun and far from a little adventure.

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