RHINEBECK, N.Y. — The Dutchess County Fair has ended for the season, which ran from Aug. 20 until Sunday, Aug. 25.
The Dutchess County Fair designated 12 acres of the fairgrounds to showcase local livestock. This included 12 barns housing dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits, three show arenas with daily scheduled events, and workroom demonstrations.
Besides offering dozens of themed gardens, waterfalls, and ponds filled with koi and colorful flowers, the fair also travels back in time with the “turn of the century treasures.” It features a century museum village, the firefighters’ museum, a working blacksmith shop, and a gas-powered engine show.
Classic treats like candy apples and cotton candy fed the masses at the Dutchess County Fair. The annual fair in Rhinebeck is one of the largest attractions in Dutchess County with 12 acres of fairgrounds and barns showcasing livestock, along with three show arenas, free entertainment and plenty to eat.Photo by Olivia Valentine
Free entertainment included live music, frisbee dogs, a stilt circus, racing pigs, a petting zoo, dock dogs, a fishing tank, and a VR tractor ridealong. Musicians who performed included Tracy Byrd, Kameron Marlowe, Conner Smith, Kissnation, Bluffett, and Grammy-winning artist Rick Springfield.
Agencies represented included the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Medical Reserve Corps, Animal Response Team, and more.
A major partnership with the fair is ThinkDifferently, implementing accommodations for individuals and families with disabilities.
“ThinkDIFFERENTLY Thursday was born half a dozen years ago with the understanding that institutions like this and places like this often are difficult for individuals with any amount of disability to access,” U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-19) said.
Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss’, the Town of North East’s clerk, and her father, Julian, won two blue ribbons at the Dutchess County Fair for his maple syrup. From a third-generation farm in Dutchess County, Julian started making maple syrup about 14 years ago, naming it Home Farm Maple Syrup. This was his first year competing at the fair, winning four ribbons. To learn more about Julian’s syrup, visit @homefarmmaplesyrup on Instagram or email homefarmmaple@optonline.com
Photo by Olivia Valentine
The ferris wheel at the Dutchess County Fair ran all week, taking visitors high into the sky. The annual fair in Rhinebeck is one of the largest attractions in Dutchess County with 12 acres of fairgrounds and barns showcasing livestock, along with three show arenas, free entertainment and plenty to eat.
Henry Loher flew farther than any other competitor at Jumpfest 2025
While spectators look skyward to watch the high-flying athletes, Jumpfest will also invite the community to look back on Salisbury’s deep-rooted ski jumping history.
Ski jumping originated in Norway in the 19th century and is a tradition familiar to most Nordic children. That was the case for the five Satre brothers — John, Magnus, Ottar, Sverre and Olaf — who grew up competing in ski jumping and cross-country skiing.
When John Satre moved to Salisbury in 1923 to work as a chauffeur, he brought the tradition with him. The rolling hills and heavy winters of the Northwest Corner resembled those of Norway, allowing John to seamlessly integrate his passion into his new community.
Within a year, his brothers followed. In 1926, John Satre captivated roughly 200 spectators by skiing off a snow-covered barn roof.
The brothers soon formed the Salisbury Outing Club — now known as the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) — and began construction of a permanent ski jump in the same location it sits today: Satre Hill.
John Satre, 1927Photo provided
By 1933, the Satre brothers had won numerous championships and helped popularize the sport across the United States. Salisbury hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1932, and the following year hosted the National Championships.
Tragically in 1934, at the age of 40, John Satre was killed in a car accident. The New York Times hailed him as a pioneer in U.S. skiing and his legacy is carried on in the winter sports culture that is nurtured in Salisbury today.
During this time, local children were introduced to the sport, creating makeshift jumps in their backyards out of crates and hay bales. One of these children was Richard Parsons, who became the first Salisbury resident to earn recognition for cross country skills. He earned a spot for the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games and in 1936 competed in the Winter Olympics in Garmisch, Germany, where he was the leading American-born cross-country skier.
Ottar Satre, 1931Photo provided
During World War II, young athletes who would have normally been jumping were enlisted in the service, causing a lull in the sport and deterioration of the jump itself. After the war, however, community members eagerly worked to rebuild the jump, and another Salisbury athlete emerged.
Roy Sherwood was first introduced to ski jumping when his father built him and his brother their own ski jump in their backyard. Sherwood quickly gained ground, earning himself the title of “hometown hero.” By 1954, Sherwood was offered a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team for the 1956 games in Cortina, Italy.
Sherwood’s path to the Olympics was far from easy. A year before the Games, he was diagnosed with polio, threatening his ability to compete. He recovered enough to travel to Italy, only to hit an icy patch during a practice run.
Sherwood rebounded and competed the next day, placing 36th out of 51 — the second-highest finish by an American — and was later inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Today, four jumps line Satre Hill — K10, K20, K30, and K65. The 65-meter jump is used for competitions, and the smaller jumps are used to teach local youth during winter camps.
Islay Sheil, a Housatonic Valley Regional High School student and Lakeville resident, is the current SWSA athlete on the rise in ski jumping today. Her passion for the sport emerged during one of the SWSA winter camps, and last March earned gold in the Junior National Championships. The next Junior National Championships will be hosted in Salisbury in 2027.
While Salisbury celebrates the 100th anniversary of its own ski jump this year, the Olympic Games will be held in Milan and Cortina, Italy, the same place that Sherwood gained global recognition.
To honor the town’s remarkable history and tradition of ski jumping, Jumpfest will begin early with a Winter Warmer on Jan. 31 between 5:30 to 8 p.m. It will be at the home of Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand. Small plates and drinks will be served. Limited tickets are available for $50 and more details can be found at Jumpfest.org/100years/
On Feb. 1, a double feature screening of On the Hill and Downhill Racer will be held at The Moviehouse in Millerton, followed by a panel discussion on winter sports and SWSA’s role in Salisbury’s history. There will also be a raffle and SWSA merchandise for sale.
Tickets for the showing are $16 and details can be found at Jumpfest.org/100years/.
Magnus Satre, 1932Photo provided
On Friday, Feb. 6, Jumpfest will host community night at Satre Hill. SWSA will offer free admission for the night. Gates open at 6 p.m. and “Target Jumping Under the Lights” will begin at 7 p.m. There will be fireworks sponsored by NBT Bank, bonfires, and food and drinks available for purchase. The Human Dogsled Race is set for 8:30 p.m. Teams of five can register at Jumpfest.org
On Saturday, Feb. 7, the Junior Competition on K20 jump will begin at 9 a.m. The Salisbury Invitational Ski Jumping Competition will practice from 11 a.m. to noon and compete at 1 p.m. Community members are invited to the Snow Ball at the Lakeville Town Grove at 8 p.m. Dancers will be accompanied by live music from the Steve Dunn Band. Entrance to the Ball is $20 with children 12 and under free of charge.
On Sunday, Feb 8, Satre Hill will hold the Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships. Athletes will practice between 11 a.m. to noon and compete at 1 p.m.
When describing the community that surrounds the ski jumps, Willie Hallihan of SWSA explained that the length of time and number of people involved on an emotional level has made the sport “iconic to Salisbury.”
Hallihan recounted in the PBS documentary “The Jump” that the ski jumps are “like a family member to a lot of people”.
