FARMINGTON — Rides and displays were being set up Thursday for the opening of the 173rd annual Farmington Fair on Sunday.

Grange members were tacking up shelves in the exhibition hall. Workers for Smokey’s Greater Shows erected rides. Barns were open in preparation for local farmers to bring their animals to show and pull. Carnival workers set up food booths along the midway.

There’s one missing this year.

For the past 84 years, blocks of harlequin ice cream dipped in chocolate and nuts have been offered by the Magno family. They won’t be there this year.

Ray Magno Sr. worked the booth at the fair for 52 years. His granddaughter, Gina Magno Dexter, and her husband, Brian, have kept it going for the past 32 years.

It’s gone this year but not forgotten.

A tribute to the local man was being set up by Don DeRoche in the Exhibition Hall on Thursday. Magno ran a summertime ice cream stand, Frosty Delight, on the Intervale in Farmington for many years. He was also known for his work razing large buildings in the area. The work required a crew of nine, DeRoche said. He had photos Dexter gave him show various stages of razing the Stoddard House, the Exchange Hotel in Farmington and the Rangeley Lakes Hotel.

There are also photos of Magno working his stand at the fair years ago when prices were just 15 and 25 cents for the ice cream on a stick.

DeRoche has other displays set up on the second floor of the Exhibition Hall, including a 4-H display in honor of its 100th anniversary this year.

There are also several photos of Mt. Blue High School basketball teams coached by Jim Bessey. One is from Mt. Blue’s team in 1979, he said.

Some photos ask for help identifying people in the picture.

“People will go out on the midway and tell someone they saw their picture, then they’ll come up to see it,” he said.

The second floor has a new look this year with repaired windows and sashes, Glenda Barker, hall superintendent, said. DeRoche took out the 14 windows, each containing 12 panes, and cleaned, repaired, replaced some and puttied them, she said.

The hall is still a little empty on Thursday but by Sunday it should be full, she said.

Members of Chesterville Grange No. 20 have “a ton of stuff  for a nice display” in the Grange’s two booths, Karen Caton-Locke said as she and Kendall Toothaker put up a new shelf.

There’s another food booth change on the grounds this year.

After more than 50 years of running a booth, the New Sharon Methodist Church has decided to not continue this year. The hot turkey sandwiches and homemade pies they served are gone.

Their space has been taken by Kevin and Cindy Madore, who plan to offer meals and sandwiches as Madore’s Homemade Meals, DeRoche said.

Once again, school children will visit on Monday for Agriculture Education Day. 

A ride special is offered on Wednesday.

Senior Citizens days are planned for Tuesday and Thursday.

Horse racing begins at 2 p.m. Sunday and continues throughout the week.

There are two new items on the schedule for Saturday, Sept. 21. One is Mutton Bustin where 7- and 8-year-olds ride large sheep as far as they can. On Saturday night, the local musical group, Shepard’s Pie, will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. in the pulling ring.

abryant@sunjournal.com