Home » About the Fair
About the Fair
The first “Cummington Fair” took place on Main Street in Cummington in the Fall of 1869.
The Cummington Fair was incorporated in 1883 as the Hillside Agricultural Society with this mission:
“The object of The Society shall be the attainment and diffusion of scientific and practical knowledge in the cultivation of the soil and the raising of its various and useful production as comprehended in The Department Of Agriculture, Horticulture and Pomology. For the encouragement to the introduction and raising of improved breeds of stock. For encouragement to mechanics and fine arts. For encouragement to domestic manufacture.” (Article 2 Constitution)
To read the full constitution, click here.
Today, The Society is incorporated as Hillside Agricultural Society Inc., with a president, 12 vice-presidents (six men, six women), secretary, treasurer, superintendent of livestock, the last ex-president, and the delegate to the Massachusetts State Fairs Association as the Executive Committee. To learn more about our directors and superintendents, click here.
Each year, we offer scholarships to promising students. To apply for a Scholarship or to review past recipients, click here.
The Society is proud of our long history and grateful to our many supporters, sponsors, and award donors. Life membership in The Society is available for five dollars. Please join if you believe in keeping The Society operating. Many volunteers are needed to run The Cummington Fair and are very welcome at any time.
Our current President is Albert Judd
Color photos above are courtesy of the Forbes Library, Northampton, Massachusetts, and are from the Robert P. Emrick Collection.
And we have video of the fair in 1968 – click here to watch!