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09/18/2019 08:00 AMThe annual Guilford Fair is just around the corner, and as anticipation among residents rises, the vendors, entertainers, bakers, photographers, groundskeepers, and organizers are congregating at the fairground to make sure the event is just as spectacular as ever.
Celebrating its 50th year at the fairground on Lovers Lane, the fair looks to continue a long tradition of world-class entertainment, delicious local foods, wild carnival rides, and exciting contests this Friday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 22, with many popular attractions returning, and others offering new twists on their offerings.
Returning are the popular family circus troupe, the Flying Wallendas, and for the first time in seven years, their close relatives the Flying Cortes. David Garrity the illusionist is also returning, having been featured at the fair some years ago.
Volunteer Larry Kalbfeld has photographed and worked marketing at the fair for more than a decade. He said that “showcasing the talents of the area” was a big part of the draw, with everything from needlework, flowers, jam, and livestock brought in by local residents to be shown off and judged in contests. The fair also continues to stick to its agricultural roots with
As far as preparation, Kalbfeld said that a lot of work goes on year-round. Whether it is cleaning the grounds and the buildings or networking with all the separate vendors, Kalbfeld said dozens of volunteers have been preparing essentially since the end of last year’s fair.
One thing that is new every year is the educational Zoo Show, which Kalbfeld described as helping younger fairgoers learn about various types of animals outside of the standard New England livestock, including snakes and parrots.
Though the foods, rides, and animal shows might be plenty enough for some, the Guilford Fair has become perhaps more famous for the entertainment. Tino Wallenda has brought the high-flying acrobatics of eight generations of circus performers to Guilford every year since 2001, and he and his family’s death-defying feats are now some of the most anticipated and celebrated spectacles of the fair.
“The circus, to me is the biggest attraction,” said Kalbfeld. “Everybody likes the circus. You should see the crowd around it.”
Wallenda is a sixth generation circus performer and acrobat, and his current act includes both children and grandchildren. Having toured the world with his family, he said Guilford remains one of his favorite places to perform.
“Such a wonderful fair—and entertainment-wise, one of the biggest fairs we perform at,” said Wallenda.
Though Kalbfeld said the Flying Wallendas have always managed to keep their trapeze, tumbling, high-wire, and cloud swing acts fresh, this year will see a couple more surprises, according to Wallenda.
This year’s act will incorporate four more grandchildren, ranging from age 10 to four months, though Wallenda said they would not have the youngest ones up on the high-wire just yet.
The Flying Cortes, made up of Wallenda’s daughter, Alida, and son-in-law, along with their children, will also bring their own brand of family flair to the performance.
Being able to come up with “new and different antics” is part of what makes the Flying Wallendas so beloved. Wallenda hinted at a surprise show by a colleague, “JP the Clown,” involving a robot—something he would not reveal further details about before the show.
At 68, having spent a great deal of his life touring for 10 or 1 months out of the year, Wallenda said there was one thing that made all the work worthwhile.
“What keeps us going is the reactions from the crowd,” he said. “It’s all about how the audiences react. Here in Guilford, we have the best audiences of anywhere.”
For more information on the fair, visit guilfordfair.org.