FRYEBURG — Rain throughout Wednesday may have decreased the number of visitors at the Fryeburg Fair but it didn’t water down the enthusiasm of those who did come for the scores of exhibits, shows and performances.

Maine’s 161st annual Blue Ribbon Classic runs through Oct. 9 and good weather is predicted for the rest of the week, fair officials said.

“The weather’s going to blow out right through the weekend,” fair spokeswoman Rachel Andrews Damon said. “Everybody’s ready for it.”

While Tuesday was considered “a quiet day,” and the large turnout of senior citizens that were expected for Senior Day failed to materialized, Damon said she was optimistic about the rest of the week.

From miniature horses to huge draft horses, Bantam chickens, sheep, piglets, oxen and goats, fair goers had plenty to see and do inside the numerous show and animal barns.

And for those who had to withstand some rain while grooming their animals outside, the mood was still jovial.

“I met my wife here 30 years ago,” Baldwin resident Jeff Sanborn said as he groomed his show oxen in preparation for competition. With his children at the fair with their oxen, the family tradition was in full swing this week despite the sometimes heavy rain.

Many fair goers avoided the more than 50 carnival rides opting instead to stay inside the show barns.

A number of young people were at the fair showing their animals. Emily Fisher, 10, of Pittsfield, N.H., was showing several Jersey calves including her champion calf “Dalia.” Her family owns 135 cows but “we only show the best,” she said as she sat in the barn watching people and animals walk by.

Richard Frechette of Saco stood under a large umbrella licking an ice cream cone and “people watching,” as his wife shopped in one of the barns while other fair goers sat on wet benches under huge umbrellas in the stage areas listing to live musical performances.

Monica Andreozzi posed on the sawdust leaning on a large oxen while her friend Gerry Holden, both of Woonsocket, R.I., snapped pictures with her phone camera.

There are also plenty of new exhibits this year including the Maine Grange Store. The store was developed by a group of grangers to provide fresh garden produce for the thousands of campers and fair goers who have come for the week. The Maine Grange Store is offering potatoes, squash, apples, cider, corn, jellies, jams, pickles, syrup and anything else still in season daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the fair.

The fair continues Wednesday with more animal competitions including oxen, a flower show, horse pulling, harness racing and the night show featuring the music of the Stealing Angels.

ldixon@sunjournal.

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