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.
Ibby Sadeh, the Class of 2026 Valedictorian, gives a speech to her classmates emphasizing the importance of diversity and understanding.
In his welcome remarks, Principal Ian Strever said a milestone was reached in a school known for its distinguished statue of Abraham Lincoln that greets visitors at the entrance. It has been four score and seven years since the school’s first graduation.
Several students talked about their challenges and how the school community helped them.
Class president Madison Graney, in an emotional speech, spoke about her father who has battled brain cancer for the past two years.
“One only needs to know Joe Graney’s signature traits are determination and selflessness,” she said.
She thanked Housatonic and Falls Village communities for the immeasurable impact they’ve had on her family’s life. She also expressed deep gratitude to all her friends “who gave me the joy of laughter and unforgettable memories that brought light into the darkest time in my life.”
Graney, fighting back tears, said of the Housatonic community, “This small yet mighty place has allowed me to be vulnerable with you all, stand on this stage and share something that, for months, I refused to acknowledge or talk about. This community has made me confident in my ability to ask for help and advocate for myself.”
Nathan Miller
Essayist Hannah Johnson also praised the supportive community, explaining that her high school experience has been largely consumed by various health conditions that impacted her both physically and mentally.
“At these times when I was at my weakest, I used what little strength I had left to cling tightly to my friends, family and passions, using them to propel myself forward,” she said.
Johnson also related that one person who had a profound impact on her life was her grandfather, who suffered from dementia and died before she arrived at Housatonic.
Valedictorian Ibby Sadeh described her capstone project in which she set up a little library at the entrance to the Appalachian Trail in Falls Village. It was stocked with books that had been banned in several states.
“I chose this project not only because I love to read, but because of my passionate support of free speech, intellectual freedom and a diversity of perspectives,” Sadeh said.
As a Jewish student at Housatonic, where representation of her religion can be hard to find, Sadeh said she never felt alone.
“Students here understand the importance of individuality. It is what makes us the way we are, what makes ours a strong and diverse community.”
Salutatorian Alexa Meach, who plans to study political science, said education should be used with a purpose and applied to achieve a greater good. She encouraged her classmates to work with people who are different from them and collaborate to achieve any goal worth pursuing.
Noting the country is going through a deeply divided time, she said, “I feel an obligation to acknowledge the lack of empathy I’ve seen and endorse a return to the needed morality across our globe.”
Nathan Miller
Guest speaker Lori Bucco, an English teacher at the school, advised the graduates to embrace humanity and live their story. “Make it epic,” she said.
Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley shared advice she received from her father.
“Don’t look for a job,” she said. “Look for a purpose in life. When you find what you love, it will feel more than a job — it will be a calling.”
The following awards were presented during the evening:
· Good Sportsmanship Medals: Wesley Allyn and Madelyn Johnson
· Good Citizenship Medals: Madison Graney and Shanaya Duprey
· Chamberlain Arts Achievement Awards: Victoria Brooks and Alex Woodworth
Judi Moore, who had a distinguished 40-year career at the high school, was presented with the Community Award of Merit.
Julie Lang, the longtime principal’s executive secretary who is retiring this year, was also recognized for her service.
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