The Danbury Agricultural Society held its first fair in 1821 to exhibit the region’s agricultural products. Initially, the fair was held in a grange with a few adjacent tents that displayed vegetables, livestock, pigeons, poultry, flowers, and preserves. Ox and draft horse pulls took place outside. Residents of Hartford and New York enjoyed train transportation, provided by the New England Railroad Company, bringing them directly to the fairgrounds at discounted rates. By 1881, the fair attracted more than 20,000 visitors and was considered the largest fair in the state.
The event provided an opportunity for farmers to display their agricultural milestones, as in the case of H. O. Warner of New Milford. In 1887, Mr. Warner brought his cow that held the record for the most milk production in one year: 23,616 pounds.
Over time, the fair expanded beyond the display of agricultural products to include model parlors and kitchens, fancy bicycle riding, trotter and mini-car races, biplane acrobatics and female Turkish divers. In 1921, Walter C. Morris of Yonkers, New York, known as the “Bee Charmer,” handled some 6,000 bees without the use of smoke or other protective devices amazing the crowds with his prowess.
By 1948, the fair included a three-ring circus, band concerts, fiddling contests, speedboat and auto races, and an air show. The fair drew notable individuals, including Ms. Jacqueline Cochran (1906-1980), a racing pilot and who was the first female aviator to break the sound barrier.
The Danbury Fair, which grew to be one of the most popular events in the region, reached its conclusion in 1981. The Danbury Mall now sits on the site of the former fairgrounds.
