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Community Corner

Your Guide to the Agricultural Fair in West Tisbury

The Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair is in full swing. Here's what you need to know before you go: ticket prices, parking and bus information and the daily schedule of events.




  • The 152nd Martha's Vineyard Livestock Show and Ag Fair runs through Sunday at the M.V. Agricultural Society, 35 Panhandle Road in West Tisbury (or as Google Maps insists on calling it, Vineyard Haven). 
  • Hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The exhibition hall closes at 10 p.m., Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Rides start at 10:30 a.m.
  • Tickets to the fair are $10 for adults (up from $8 in 2012), $5 for children aged 5-12, $5 for adults 62 and older. Children under 5 are free. 
  • Parking at the fair is $5.
  • Take $1 off your ticket price if you arrive by VTA bus and show your hand stamp at the gate.
  • Buses to the fair leave Edgartown's Church Street stop at 14 minutes past the hour from 10:14 a.m. to 10:14 p.m.
  • Buses from Vineyard Haven to the fair leave the Steamship Authority at 15 minutes past the hour from 10:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. 
  • Buses leave the fair at 43 minutes past the hour for Edgartown and Vineyard Haven: Be sure you know which bus you're boarding.
  • Friday night only, $25 buys you unlimited rides.
  • Other events include games, corn shucking and fiddle contests, skillet toss, horse pull, woodsmen competition, fiber-arts tent, dog and livestock shows. See below for the daily schedule.
  • Live musical performers include the Blue Hill Brass, Johnny Hoy & the Bluefish, Tristan Israel and Entrain. See the daily schedule below.
  • There are no detours on the way to the fair from Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.
  • This year's theme is "Hog Wild for the Fair" and just in time, a sow in the barn gave birth to piglets Thursday night.
  • Find out much more by downloading the Fair Book and following the fair on Facebook.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
10 a.m. Judging of Poultry & Rabbits - Barn
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Blue Hills Brass Quartet - strolling
11 a.m. Draft Horse Halter Class - Pulling Ring
11 a.m. Frisbee Dogs - Show Ring
11:30 a.m. Judging of Sheep, Llamas &Alpacas
12:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
1 p.m. Frisbee Dogs - Show Ring
1 p.m. Draft Horse Pulling Contest - Pulling Ring
1:30 p.m. Goat Milk Soap Making Demonstration - outside Barn
2 p.m. Corn Husking Contest - Back of Hall
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Kelly Peters Dance Show - Stage
3 p.m. Frisbee Dogs - Show Ring
4 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
5 p.m. Local Musicians - Stage
5 p.m. Frisbee Dogs - Show Ring
5:30 p.m. Island Gymnastics Training Demonstration - Lawn
6:30 p.m. Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish
6:30 p.m. “Acoustic Corner” with Tristan Israel
7:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
8:30 p.m. Local Musicians - Stage
Hall Closes 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
10 a.m. Antique Tractor Pull - behind Pulling Ring
10 a.m. M.V. Horse Council Drill Team - Show Ring
11 a.m. 37th Annual Woodsmens Contest
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Blue Hills Brass Quartet - strolling
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Buddy the Clown - Strolling
12 p.m. M. V. Horse Council Pond Rides - Show Ring
12 p.m. Vegetable Car Races - Back of Hall
12 p.m. Toe Jam - Stage
12:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
1:30 p.m. Toe Jam - Stage
2 p.m. Sack Race - front of Hall
3 p.m. Toe Jam - Stage
3:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
4 p.m. Clam & Oyster Shucking Contest/Smoked Fish Contest - Back of Hall
4 p.m. Stragglers - Stage
5:30 p.m. Serendipity - Stage
7:30 p.m. “Acoustic Corner” with Tristan Israel, Paul Thurlow,& Invited Guests
7:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
8 p.m. Entrain - Stage
Hall Closes 10 p.m.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
10 a.m. Dog Show - Pulling Ring
10 a.m. Dog Agility & Dog Training Demonstration
10 a.m. Rising Tide Therapeutic Equestrian Center - Show Ring
10:30 a.m. Island Draft Horse Show - Show Ring
11 a.m. Puppetoke - Stage
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Buddy the Clown - strolling
12 p.m. Puppetoke - Stage
12:30 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
1 p.m. Puppetoke - Stage
2 p.m. Puppetoke - Stage
2 p.m. Vineyard Sound - strolling
3 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
3 p.m. Women’s Skillet Throw - Pulling Ring
5 p.m. Robinson’s Racing Pigs
6 p.m. Seanote - Stage
Hall Closes 6:30 p.m.

For more things to do on Martha's Vineyard this week, please see our Events calendar. You can post your own events there any time for free.

What's your favorite part of the fair? Please tell us in the comments.

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