FARMINGTON – It was quiet at the Farmington Fairgrounds Tuesday morning as Glenda Barker and Tish Saucier rested at a table in the Franklin County Agricultural Society Exhibition Hall.

That table will be the meeting place for fair organizers at 8 each night during the fair that begins Sunday, Sept. 16, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 22.

Saucier, of Massachusetts and Florida, already had Tish’s fried dough, blooming onion, french fries and sweet shop stands on site. She’ll bring the coffee and the goodies to what she called the coffee klatch area.

It’s there that they will unwind before another day of fun and challenge begins.

“Every night we bring something different,” Saucier said.

Even the wall around the table is becoming an exhibit as people bring in more photos to go on the wall each year, reminding fairgoers of past fairs. So far there are pictures from 1915 to 1948. There is one of Barker seated in one of the rides.

Barker, a society director and supervisor of the Exhibition Hall, said everything was coming together well.

They’ll be decorating the poles in the hall Wednesday and the Grangers will start coming in to set up their displays Friday or Saturday, Barker said.

Entries for the Grange, agricultural, domestic, photography, flowers, artwork and other exhibitions will need to be submitted by 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15.

“Saturday will be really busy, but Sunday will be the busiest day for me because all my judges will be coming in,” Barker said.

Her husband, George Barker, another society director, has been busy all summer overseeing and making improvements of the buildings and grounds including a new foundation under one of the barns and some fresh coats of paint on some of the buildings.

Some of Smokey’s Greater Shows rides and recreational vehicles were parked in the parking lot at the fairgrounds and there were one or two vehicles parked in front of several empty barns as those areas were being prepared for opening day, too.

Saucier has all of her cooking needs ordered and they’ll come in Friday.

On top of wrestling, parimutuel racing, rides, musicians, craft demonstrations, museum displays and livestock events, there will be a couple of new events not listed in the fair pamphlet.

Malcolm Garey of Florida, a friend of Saucier, will do multiple shows each day of the fair with his Frog Jumping Championships. The shows are free and there is audience participation as volunteer frog trainers with Garey supplying the farm-raised frogs.

It is hilarious, Saucier said.

Another event not listed is Steve and the Good Ole Boys, a country western band that will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the big grandstand.

Fair events

Farmington Fair admission:

Age 12 and over – $5 Age 8 to 11 – $1 Age 7 and under – Free Parking – $2 No dogs allowed

Sunday, Sept. 16

8:30 a.m.: Steer and oxen scooting contest, boys, girls, ages 9-15

9 a.m.: Peter Tracy, homeowner chain saw training

9 a.m.: Team penning

9 a.m.: Horse, ox scooting and horse twitching

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Ted Walker, wood sculptures

11 a.m.: Steer oxen pull

11 a.m.: 4-H working steer show

12-2 p.m.: Barry Wood

1 p.m.: Midway opening

1-6 p.m.: Mike Chase, Alderun Wood Creations

1-6 p.m.: Western Maine Blacksmiths

1-6 p.m.: Western Mountain Beekeepers

1 p.m.: Lawn mower pull

1:30 p.m.: Parimutuel racing racing

3-5 p.m.: Braking strings

4 p.m.: Farmers ox pull followed by farmers horse pull

6:30 p.m.: Miss Farmington Fair Pagean