The New Jersey State Fair is a non-profit agricultural fair held every June 18 - July 11 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in
Augusta, New Jersey. The fair has been held in conjunction with the
Sussex County Farm and Horse Show since 1999 and draws 220,000 residents annually. The Augusta-based event was commonly referred to as the Sussex County Fair by locals. This fair is not affiliated with nor is to be confused with
State Fair Meadowlands
The State Fair Meadowlands (formerly the Meadowlands Fair) is a carnival held every summer at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The fair is held in the parking lot that surrounds the MetLife Stadium and runs for two ...
, which is a carnival held every June at the
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The Meadowlands Sports Complex is a sports complex located in East Rutherford, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The facility is owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA).
The complex currently consi ...
in
East Rutherford
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 10,022, reflecting an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 8,913 counted in the 2010 census. , New Jersey.
Mission statement
The stated mission of the New Jersey State Fair / Sussex County Farm and Horse Show is:
*to showcase New Jersey's agriculture;
*provide safe, family-friendly entertainment;
*present educational activities;
*promote youth development;
*give financial support to charitable non-profit agencies
Summary
The New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show is an annual event held during the first week of every August at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. A traditional agricultural fair, it offers livestock competitions, food tasting competitions, 4-H competitions and exhibitions, crafts, and AHSA-sanctioned horse competitions, including the Sussex County Grand Prix and the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner Classic. Other fair favorites include an annual fiddlers contest, a Queen of the Fair competition, demolition derby, oxen and tractor pulls, carnival rides, and exhibits from local organizations. Fair proceeds are donated to local charities, which is a tradition dating to 1933.
The fair's roots extend back to 1923 when a Sussex County riding club held a horse show for the children of its members. The horse show thereafter expanded, and was held annually in Branchville, New Jersey, from 1933 to 1975, and then from 1976 to the present at its current location in Augusta, New Jersey. The fair was initially called the Sussex County Horse Show from 1936 to 1940, and then as the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show from 1940 to 1999. In 1999, the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show purchased the rights to the New Jersey State Fair name, which previously operated at
Garden State Park
Garden State Park was a harness and thoroughbred race track in Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey. It is now the site of a high-end, mixed-use "town center" development of stores, restaurants, apartments, townhouses, and condominiums. Garden ...
in
Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and was officially renamed the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show.
[New Jersey State Fair History Committee (2007) ''A Fair to Remember: A Documentary on the History of the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show.'' New Jersey State Fair / Sussex County Farm and Horse Show: Augusta, New Jersey]
There was no fair from 1942 to 1945 because of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Gallery
Image:NJFair_Flag.jpg, Constructing the American flag using K'NEX
Image:NJFair_donkey_event.jpg, Donkey judging contestant
Image:NJFair_carnival_ride.jpg, Carnival ride
Image:NJFair bees.jpg, Honeybee exhibit
References
External links
New Jersey State Fair
{{New Jersey
History of New Jersey
New Jersey culture
Tourist attractions in Sussex County, New Jersey
August events
State fairs
Festivals in New Jersey
Garden State Park Racetrack
Frankford Township, New Jersey
Festivals established in 1933