Cultural Events

73rd Bridgewater Country Fair To Carry Semiquincentennial Theme

Published: Aug 01, 2026 8:00 am

BRIDGEWATER — The 2026 Bridgewater Country Fair is joining in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Billy Steers, illustrator of the Tractor Mac children’s books, designed an iconic cover for the 73rd Bridgewater Country Fair Premium Book. T-shirts will be sold during the fair weekend with the creative Billy Steers illustration. Volunteers will also be wearing shirts with special designs.

The fair will return to the fairgrounds at 100 Main Street South/Route 133 Friday through Sunday, August 21-23. Organizers promise Bridgewater’s event is not just about the rides and games — this one has a different flair than most traditional fairs. It is unique in its charm and warmth of a small town, and volunteers work hard to organize the event, which serves as the largest annual fundraiser for Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD).

With live music, animals, special acts, shopping, amusement, contests, and a chance to win a Toyota Tacoma Pro Iforce Max, next month’s event is shaping up to be another event-packed weekend and fun family outing.

The weekend will kick off with the Annual Bridgewater Fireman’s Parade. Opening ceremonies and the largest firefighter parade in the state begin at 6:30 pm.

Last year’s parade featured 67 pieces of apparatus from 44 fire companies.

Ride Bracelets will be available Friday only, from 5-10 pm. The entire family and all ages will enjoy the return of Tim Dyson & Rocketman, and The Flippenout Trampoline show. A Fair favorite, the Dock Diving Dogs, will return to show off their skills, as well as the border collie herding demonstrations Saturday and Sunday.

Local talent includes J. Rouge Aerialist, who will display her dazzling athleticism 20 feet in the air, and Ben Faraci, a Nonnewaug High School alum returning to demonstrate and sell his chainsaw carvings.

New and additional craft vendors have registered for the fair, and returning favorites on the bandstand will include Future Tense, Flashback, RivaJean, On The Trail, and others.

The fair continues with its historic features and charm, like Racing Pig contests, livestock and agricultural displays, games, amusement rides, and food cooked by Bridgewater firefighters.

Chicken and Waffles on a Stick was a big hit last year. Returning favorites will again include chicken, corn, BBQ, roast beef sandwiches, tacos, loaded baked potatoes, grinders, pizza, and burgers. Adults can again sit back and listen to acoustic entertainment, enjoying a glass of wine or one of several beers on tap at the Watering Hole.

Art and photography shows; flower, baking, vegetable and fruit competitions; needlework; hobby displays; adult and children’s pie eating contests on Saturday and Sunday; hay bale and skillet toss; tractor, oxen and pony pulls/shows; crafts; and more will all return to the fairgrounds.

Last year’s blue ribbon entry for the State Adult Quilting Contest, created by Lisa Schmidt, went on to win first place in the November State Fair Competition.

This year’s raffle, sponsored by BVFD, offers chances at the following: first prize, a 2026 Toyota Tacoma Pro iForce Max Turbo Hybrid; second, a Bulls Copperhead Evo Mountain Bike; third, a Segway XYBER Off Road Bike; fourth, an Aventon Abound Ebike; and fifth, a Segway ZT3 Pro Electric Scooter.

Tickets are $20 each, prizes will be awarded Monday, August 24, at 6 pm, and all proceeds go to Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department.

Fairgoers can also take a chance at Cake Bingo, winning a home baked cake, bread, brownies, or cookies, to take with them. $1 buys two chances to win a prize.

Gates will be open from 4 to 11 pm Friday, Saturday 8 am to 11 pm, and Sunday 8 am to 6 pm. Animal competitions start at 8 am; rides and vendors start at 10.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 seniors, and free for age 12 and under. Three day passes are available at the Bridgewater Mobil Station for $25 and gates. Parking is free.

No pets are allowed on the fairgrounds.

Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department is supported solely by the profits of the fair and raffle. The department receives no funding from the Town, State, or Homeland Security.

BVFD and the Ambulance depend on the annual fair as their main fundraiser.

For additional information including full schedules and competition details visit bridgewaterfair.com.

Children’s book illustrator Billy Steers has created a decidedly patriotic design for the 73rd Bridgewater Country Fair, which will carry a Semiquincentennial theme when it returns August 21-23. —Billy Steers illustration courtesy Bridgewater Country Fair

SCAN Presenting Open Studio Painters Exhibition; Reception

Early Next Month

CVH Animal Sanctuary Holds Bug Bonanza

All Smiles At ‘The Isle of Skoo's’ Annual Summer Camp

Legislative Coffee & Conversation With Bolinsky And Foncello, August 7

It's a bit ironic. On July 31, 2025, Bruce Walczak wrote that "evasive answers or silence are unacceptable in government." He also promised to respond to constituent inquiries and to "close the loop," even when there wasn't an immediate answer. Two weeks of silence in response to a legitimate question seems difficult to reconcile with that pledge. The standard wasn't set by his critics—it was set by Bruce himself. Just another politician ... say whatever is necessary to get the job. Original letter: https://www.newtownbee.com/07312025/a-commitment-to-responsiveness/

First Selectman Addresses Storm Response

CT primaries are closed to voters not registered with the party's designation. Dems can't vote in Rep. primaries and, vice versa. Unaffiliated and Independent voters cannot vote in them. Keep primaries closed!

Time to Change the Guard

Bruce, welcome to the conversation. Your recent statement after the storm — admitting that you should have communicated “faster, more completely, and more personally” — was fine as far as it went. But this is not just about one storm. It is about a pattern. You ran on openness, responsiveness, and transparency, even saying that “evasive answers or silence are unacceptable in government.” The problem is that Newtown residents have been dealing with exactly that silence from you since you were elected. Newtown’s Emergency Management page says the town, together with the Office of the First Selectman, provides “critical public information and warning” during emergencies. The town also rolled out CodeRED cellphone registration on March 24, 2022 so residents could receive emergency information directly. So where were you when police were searching for missing 23-year-old Kateri Doty in January? Where were you during the brush fires near the Newtown town line in April? Where were you on April 22, when state police and Newtown police were searching for two people who fled an I-84 crash and a canine search moved into the Church Hill Road area? Residents should not be hearing about a missing person, wildfire conditions, or police tracking dogs moving through backyards from Facebook, neighbors, or kids in town. They should be hearing from their town government. This is not really about whether you personally press the CodeRED button. Or how many task forces you have created. It is about leadership. You are the First Selectman. You are responsible for making sure the town communicates clearly, quickly, and visibly when public safety is involved. So yes, it is nice that you have finally acknowledged the problem. But the public did not need this storm to figure it out. We have been saying it for a long time. Bruce, you were missing when the town needed to hear from you. The question now is whether this storm finally woke you up, or whether this is just another late apology followed by more silence.

The topic may be the same but the narratives every other week differ and I appreciate the installments. Rebuttals on factual content rather than focusing on form would improve the discourse.

Elections Have Consequences XXVI

Who would think that we would start losing count? Maybe not so much a typo as a copy-and-paste error, easy to understand after this much repetition.

Log In

73rd Bridgewater Country Fair To Carry Semiquincentennial Theme

Leave a Reply Cancel reply