DIVISION OF FAIRS 

 Dennis J. Flynn, Director 



FAIR ACTIVITIES 



The public showed continued interest in agricultural fairs this year, 

 and total attendance was more than 2,500,000 people c 



The 124 fairs and shows in Massachusetts included 21 major, 18 com- 

 munity, 24 youth, 22 livestock and 39 Grange Fairs. 



Agricultural fairs offer a unique type of family entertainment as well 

 as educational exhibits and demonstrations concerning livestock production 

 and farm products., 



To stimulate this form of agricultural education, at the fairs, the 

 Division offers prize monies and awards ribbons. This year there were prize 

 awards for 97,422 exhibits, 42,377 of which were youth exhibits. 



At the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, the Division 

 continued to operate and maintain the Massachusetts Building, which was 

 visited by 600,000 people this year. 



All but a few of the smaller fairs were inspected this yearo Our 

 fair inspectors, who work on a part-time basis, inspect (examine) each 

 fair relative to the actual numbers of prize awards, public health and 

 safety conditions and the need for rehabilitation of fairgrounds and 

 buildings. The inspection reports are especially useful in determining 

 the amount of prize money payments to be made at each fair. 



REHABILITATION PROGRAM 



The Division offers financial assistance to individual fairs to help 

 defray the cost of improvements for the convenience of the public. The 

 need for such improvements is checked by the fair inspectors o 



STAIJDARDBRED HORSE PROGRAM 



The Standardbred and Thoroughbred Horse programs encourage and 

 promote the breeding, propogation, ownership, raising, racing and 

 marketing of horses bred and foaled in Massachusetts. They also 

 promote the advancement of agriculture and agriculture related industry 

 within the state. 



