The Great Pocomoke Fair

A History of the Great Pocomoke Fair

Agricultural fairs, exhibits and shows have been part of farm life since Biblical times. The book of Ezekiel, written around 500 B.C. has several references to fairs. During the early centuries of Christianity, the Church took an active part in sponsoring fairs as part of the observance of religious holidays and seasons. Everyone knows who Simple Simon met--the pie man going to the fair.....

A fair is quite simply, an event held for presenting or viewing of exhibits. Some fairs last just a few days and are local in scope and some run for months, like the world's Fair, and attract people from many countries. Fairs are a major industry in the United States and Canada. More than 3,200 fairs are held annually in the two countries and they earn more than $1.7 billion for the areas in which they are held.

In 1641, the government of New Netherlands authorized the first annual fair in the American colonies, to be held in New Amsterdam (now New York City). By the mid-1700s, fairs had become common throughout the colonies. They were primarily agricultural and served as an important showcase for the farm products of the local area. The first state fairs were held in New Jersey and New York about 1840.