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The Altamont Fair Grounds Was Host To One
Of The First Radio Broadcasts From A Fairgrounds
In 1922, The General Electric Company sponsored a special radio concert at the Fair
The Health Department ruled that for the 1916 fair no person under 16 could be admitted to the Fair. Deputy sheriffs and the “village sleuth” were stationed at the gates to prevent those persons under 16 from entering. No reason is stated for this in the minutes, but a resolution condemning the Health Department and the Village of Altamont was adopted by the Fair Board and was published in the Altamont Enterprise and other area newspapers.
The General Electric Company sponsored a special radio concert at the 1922 fair. This was one of the first radio shows to be broadcast from fairgrounds. It was also in 1922 that Schenectady County was invited to join the Altamont Fair. A great part of the Fair through these years was the cooperation from the D&H Railroad, which ran special trains from Albany and Schenectady to the fairgrounds each year.
In 1924 we held our first night fair. The power company installed lights to the 7 poles erected by the Fair. On the second night of this two-night fair, fireworks were shot for the first time.
In 1925 a new Grandstand was erected on the opposite
side of the track from the original Grandstand at
a cost of $18,600. This new structure lasted until
November 1995 when it was completely destroyed by
fire.
In 1942 and 1943 the Fair was not held due to World
War II.
In 1945, Greene County became part of the Altamont
Fair and we became the only three-county fair in
New York State and one of the few in the country.
1946 saw another name change. The fair became the
Albany , Schenectady and Greene County Fair Association.
In 1953 George Sawin gave the rights to what is
now the main entrance road.
Auto racing was first held in 1910, when the Fair
held a five-mile race with purses of $25, $15 and
$10 for the first, second and third place winners.
This continued to be an important part of the Fair’s
history for over thirty years. In 1915, automobiles
were entered for the first time to compete for premiums.
In 1971 the Hayes House was donated to the Altamont
Fair. This fully furnished Victorian home was turned
into a museum that was open to the public during
the Fair and at our Christmas celebration. The fair
continued to expand and concentrate on museum areas,
which now include the Old Schoolhouse, the Auto
Museum , the Farmhouse Museum , the Carriage Museum
and the Farm Implements Museum . The Pepsi Building,
which was built in 1968 and turned into our Circus
Museum was destroyed due to the heavy snow load
on the roof.
We have seen our fair time attendance
increase and now have events scheduled on the grounds
nearly every weekend during the summer months. We
have purchased additional land, most
of which is used for public parking. The total area
of the fairgrounds is now 140 acres.
As a historical and agricultural society, we are committed to the preservation of the old
traditions, yet we strive to keep current with evolving
trends and exhibits in order to attract new patrons.
Our emphasis will continue to be on agriculture.
This becomes more difficult each year as we see
the surrounding agricultural community shrink
and give way to housing developments and industry.
Our goal is to make
the Altamont Fair the best that it can be in terms
of entertainment, as an educational experience
and as a showcase for our history and
agricultural traditions.
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P.O. Box 506, 129
Grand Street, Altamont, NY 12009
phone (518) 861-6671 fax (518) 861-7251
info@altamontfair.com
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