OCR Text |
Show WJ! TINKY DAKOTA WEISBLAT by AYankee Doodle Dandy In mi avant aoldai country Mrs Can you ever recapture the past and relive an experience from childhood? Vaughn Tower thought he could, so he did and in the process he made a whole town happier. ; When Tower, now 39, was growing up in the 1960s and 70s, the local fair known as Yankee Doodle Days had been held every year since 1870. It was his town's biggest event, a shindig of an agricultural fair where neighbors came together to compete, display their bounty; play, and gossip and be a little patriotic as well. Otganizets required faiigoers to wear feathers in their caps just like Yankee Doodle from the Revolutionary War tune and Tower remembers citizens and camaraderie drat filled the fairgrounds fondly the feather-bedeckfor a weekend every summer. ed I VM CfWVQ IOW K wTMffl OrvWrS RPV K 01 VBMr hi iM BMlwmlwl QWJb . Tune and change took a toil, however, and by 1982, volunteers sroppedcoming forward, the fair faded away for lack of interest, and the fairgrounds oo ri hill v once the site of horse shows and ax pulls languished. Fifteen years later. Tower and his friend, Todd Gerry along with their wives, Robin and Kim began talking one night about reviving the old fair in their hometown of Chariemont, Mass. (pop. 1358). Their plans were modest that evening. We were just going to have a day of kids' games,'' lower soys. Blit somehow, as they talked it up in the town, new ideas kept surfacing, and they ended up Pago 8 and oMar than tractor pull a load avar a i a Yankee Doodle Days celebration that now runs for three full days ). (this year, July everyjuly Tower and Gerry enlisted volunteers, including Marguerite Morris Willis, who brought a barrage of organizational skills. Todd and Vaughn asked me to be in charge of the pie contest at Yankee Doodle Days, the recalls. "My organized mind just started asking questions. Next thing I knew, all three of us were doing it. Today, the fair the sixth sinee its revival offers booths with foods and crafts, midway rides, a square dance, a fireworks display, music, a demolition derby; and a Sunday church service and pancake breakfast. It culminates in apaiadc featuring, among ocher attractions, scores of patriotic Boats, several bonds, fire engines and ambulances, and a mounted town crier in Colonial clothes. Children are a major focus of the fair, Tower says he views his participation as a loving gift to his own three children, Amanda, Danaige, and Norah. The renewal of the fair has had a secondary effect boosting efforts to save the decaying fairgrounds. Chuck Bellows, who had helped found the Friends of the Fairgrounds even before the revival of Yankee Doodle Days, says the restoration has proved fun, interesting, and work. Brush was cleared, power lines upgraded, a new" racetrack laid, and the exhibition hall restored. Next will come repairs to the 1892 grandstands and the installation of permanent restrooms. The grounds now host two new events, an annual reggae festival and a Jeep Jamboree. The revival in Chariemont brought about by the fair goes beyond the physical. Tower notes that the community has had its conflicts in die past, but response to the fair has been, Positive, positive, positive. Bellows concurs, saying, Its enjoyable to see everyone pulling together in the same direction to build community spirit. Town librarian Bambi Miller likes the way the fair brings people together with no agenda.but fun. There's a real sense of pride, she says. More than just pride las expanded of late in Chariemont. Recent additions businesses on the Deerfield River; two to die town include whitewater-raftin- g new bed and breakfasts, and a recently organized women's dub tb maintain flower bedsin the downtown area. Like Yuqkee Doodle Dty or perhaps in part, because of it the town is revving up again. Willis thinks the revival has been exciting for the town. It worked because people wanted it. It strikes a deep chord within this town, and it makes Chariemont feel good about itself. 26-28- - Writer Tinky Dakota Wtisblat lifts in Hauby, a town adjactnt to CbarUmont. American Profile i n nm IlMoitelAriUMkNMdaMi -- iw |