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Fair Exhibit/Vendor Areas

Area Descriptions

Animal Products: Livestock owners demonstrate and sell the useful and beautiful products of their animals. Animals displayed as part of the educational exhibits include llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits and other farmyard friends. Link to Animal Products Information

Agricultural Booths: present and promote family farms selling agricultural products and suppliers of products used in agricultural production. Link to Ag Booth Information

Agricultural Demonstrations: educational talks, demonstrations and displays about food production and preservation. Link to Agricultural Information Details

Children's Area: garden parade, face painting, music, magic, dancing, arts and crafts, big messy art, child nurturing/nursing tent, fun for all ages. The Fair does not provide child care. Link to Children's Area Details.

Composting & Recycling: Zero Garbage Project volunteers meticulously separate all garbage generated at the Fair and reduce discards to an absolute minimum.

Country Kitchen Demonstrations: Creative experts in food harvesting, storing, preserving and cooking share their expertise with fairgoers in a mini-kitchen. Link to Common Kitchen Information.

Country Kitchen Demonstrations: Purchase Fair memorabilia, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, tote bags, note cards, caps and nightshirts. Link to On-Line Country Store.

Crafts: Exhibitors are selected based on their skill, quality, ingenuity and representation of New England traditions and use of Maine's natural resources. Link To Crafts Area Information

Energy & Shelter: demonstrations and exhibits about old and new technologies used to heat, cool and light buildings; presentations about developments in sustainable transportation and fuel efficiency.

Entertainment: Maine entertainers, from drummers to jugglers, Morris dancers to fiddlers and contra dancers, perform at three stages and rove all over the fairgrounds. Link To Entertainment Area Information

Environmental Concerns: Maine-based organizations focus on environmental, wildlife and marine concerns. Link To Environmental Concerns Information

Exhibition Hall: Maine farmers, gardeners and crafters display the fruits of their labor, from heirloom varieties and giant pumpkins to wooden toys and fancy work. Link to Additional Exhibition Hall Information, or you can Link To Exhibition Hall Information and Rules.

Farmers' Market: Maine farmers sell organic produce and products from their own farms. BUY LOCAL! Link to Farmers Market Information.

Fiddlers' Showcase: Fiddlers from near and far perform old country jigs, reels and waltz tunes for the pure enjoyment off all. Link to Fiddlers' Showcase Information

Fiber and Fleece Area: fleeces of all varieties for sale each day; scheduled demonstrations about selecting fleeces to suit specific needs, and fleece washing techniques. Link to Fleece Tent Details. and Download a Fiber Sale Registration Form (PDF, 47Kb).

Folk Arts: demonstrations of the arts and skills used for survival in the past and for pleasure now. Link to Folk Arts Information.

Food: the reason many people come to the Fair. Great, delicious, nutritious and extraordinary, sugar-free, guilt-free, it's organic! Featuring Maine organic ingredients. Link to Food Area Information

Foot Race: a 5K-event open to all ages. Racers get a Fair T-shirt and admission to the Fair. Link to Foot Race Information.

Harry S. Truman Manure Pitch-off: Fairgoers can compete for distance and accuracy in this popular event. Link to Pitch-off Information.

Health & Healing: organizations focused on Health and Healing; information, education, discussion and ongoing presentations. Link to Health and Healing Details.

Herb Talks: Herbalists explain how to grow, prepare, preserve and use herbs.

Horseshoe Pitch: This traditional rural game will be featured on Sunday. Join the fun!

Information Booth: information about Fair vendors, exhibitors, building locations, presentations, contests and anything else relating to the Fair.

Livestock: Talk to farm animal owners and watch demonstrations and shows, such as Oxen Scooting Contests, a Donkey and Mule Show (Friday) and the Draft Horse Show (Sunday). See a great variety of domestic fowl in the Poultry Barn and lots of rabbits in the Rabbit Tent. Pigs, sheep, goats and other farm critters are on display too. Don't forget to watch the Sheep Dog Demos -- it's just plain fun! Link to Livestock Area Guidelines and Application

Low-Impact Forestry: Logging and forestry groups discuss sustainable forestry practices in Maine and offer hands-on workshops and demonstrations in MOFGA's woodlot. Link to Low-Impact Forestry Details.

Maine Businesses: Owners of Maine's environmentally-friendly, small businesses and cottage industries sell their goods and educate fairgoers about their manufacturing processes. Link to the Maine Business Area Guidelines

Maine Media: Journalists, reporters, writers, publishers and radio with a focus on Maine or homesteading skills talk to fairgoers about their businesses, recruit new members and subscribers, and sell their publications. Link to Media Area Guidelines and Application

MOFGA Booths: Learn about MOFGA's goals and philosophy, organic certification program, journeyperson and apprenticeship programs, agricultural policy initiatives, fundraising efforts, and membership benefits at the Program Booth. Ask your garden questions at the Technical Services Booth in the Agricultural Demonstrations Area. Join MOFGA at the Membership Booths, located at the entrance gates, and get into the Fair free all weekend.

Native American Arts & Education: demonstrations and sales of Native American products by Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot artisans. Link to Native American Area Guidelines and Application

Public Policy Teach-In: A panel of experts in health and agricultural policy initiatives discusses pressing issues regarding agriculture, health and our environment. This year focuses on greening Maine's homes.

Sheep Dog Demonstrations: Border collies go through impressive routines. David Kennard explains how important herding dogs are to sheep owners. Audience participation is encouraged and the demo is very entertaining!

Social and Political Action Area: Local organizations provide information on issues of peace and justice, social equality, civil/human rights and environmental politics.

Stoneworkers: Members of the Maine Stoneworkers Guild demonstrate the art of stone cutting and carving; workshops are scheduled for fairgoers young and old.

Wednesday Spinners: With over 500 years of cumulative experience, expert fiber spinners demonstrate traditional and modern spinning, dyeing and weaving techniques using a variety of fibers. Come contribute to the community weaving project! Link to Wednesday Spinners Information.

Whole Life: presentations and workshops on physical, mental and spiritual health. Link to Whole Life Area Information.

Youth Enterprise Zone: Entrepreneurial kids flex their business skills, selling products and services that meet the guidelines of other areas. Click Here for more information.

Applying for a Booth at the Fair

Residents of the State of Maine are eligible to apply for booth space at the Common Ground Country Fair. There are general guidelines for participation as well as guidelines and application deadlines specific to each area of the Fair. Anyone interested in applying for vendor/exhibitor space should contact the Fair office for a complete application. Inquiries should provide reasonable detail about what the applicant hopes to sell or do at the Fair so that the office can forward the appropriate application.

Applications are also available online (see links below). Please review the guidelines and application deadline before submitting an application to the Fair office.

Applications and guidelines for participants are currently available for the following areas:

Common Ground Exhibition Hall

"The Heart of an Agricultural Fair!"

Recent years have seen a wonderful increase in the variety of vegetables and fruits being exhibited by organic farmers and gardeners. If your produce is a healthy and representative example of the variety grown, you "win" in a number of ways: You show others how wonderful organic food can look; you may win a ribbon, since more than one ribbon can be awarded in each category (1st , 2nd and 3rd) for each variety; and blue and red ribbons include gift certificates redeemable at some Maine seed companies.

Also in the Exhibition Hall are:

  • Contest for biggest vegetables (squash, pumpkin, zucchini, cabbage, beet and cuke)
  • Whatever contest for vegetable oddities
  • Children's apple pie contest
  • Organic farm exhibits
  • MOFGA chapter exhibits
  • Home canned foods (read the rules!), dried foods and baked goods
  • Other farm- or homestead-produced goods, such as eggs, honey, syrup, cut flowers, etc.
  • Herbs and house plants
  • Homemade, nonfood entries in categories such as afghans, knitting, crocheting, quilts, clothing, rugs, hangings, baskets, candles, pottery, photographs, paintings, woodcuts and silk screens

Schedule for 2005

*Thursday, September 22--Exhibition Hall open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Entries in all categories accepted.

*Friday, September 23--Entries accepted from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. Exhibition Hall open to fairgoers from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Judging begins at 10 a.m. and continues through the day.

*Saturday, September 24--Entries for the Children's Apple Pie Contest and the Natural Dessert Contest will be accepted until noon. Judging at 1 p.m. Exhibition Hall open to fairgoers from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

*Sunday, September 25--Exhibition Hall open to fairgoers from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Please leave exhibits in place as late as possible, and remove them as soon after 5 p.m. as possible.

See the rules at www.mofga.org/fb_04exh_rules.html or call 207-568-4142 for a hard copy To avoid disappointment, read the Exhibition Hall Rules before you harvest and prepare your entry. Link directly to the rules above, or obtain a copy from the Common Ground Country Fair office, PO Box 170, Unity, ME 04988; 568-4142; email: cgcf@mofga.org.

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
Common Ground Country Fair
PO Box 170
Unity, ME 04988
Phone: 207-568-4142
Fax: 207-568-4141
Email: cgcf@mofga.org