Recalling over a century of the Champlain Valley Exposition – including Elton John

On September 14, 1923, the Champlain Valley Fair finished its first run in its current location.

by Timothy Page

The Champlain Valley Fair, a cornerstone of Vermont’s cultural and agricultural heritage, began in 1922 as the Essex Fair in Essex Center, Vermont. This modest agricultural exhibition quickly outgrew its original site, leading to the establishment of the Champlain Valley Exposition, a not-for-profit organization incorporated in May 1922 to oversee the fair’s transition to a new, larger venue in Essex Junction.¹

Land was purchased, and Professor George Burns of the University of Vermont designed the fairgrounds with a natural aesthetic, featuring a racetrack, a 4,000-seat grandstand, racing stables, horse and cattle barns, and a commercial and industrial building.¹ Construction delays meant the first fair at the new site was held in 1923, but the 1922 Essex Fair, held at the old grounds from September 12–15, still drew over 15,000 attendees despite coinciding with the State Fair in White River Junction, highlighting its growing popularity.¹

In September 1923, the Champlain Valley Fair opened at the new Champlain Valley Exposition from September 11–14 under the leadership of General Manager W.K. Farsworth, attracting over 50,000 visitors.¹ The event showcased Vermont’s farming roots through livestock competitions, local produce displays, and demonstrations of agricultural innovations, fulfilling the founders’ vision of fostering pride in the state’s rural heritage through friendly competition for blue ribbons and cash prizes.²

The modern facilities of the new fairgrounds provided an ideal setting, establishing the fair as a vital community gathering point and laying the foundation for its growth into Vermont’s largest annual event, now drawing over 120,000 visitors each year.³

Over the decades, the fair evolved to blend tradition with modern entertainment. In 1927, the introduction of the midway brought carnival rides, games, and sideshows, with nine different carnival companies, including World of Mirth, King Reid Shows, Reithoffer Shows, and currently James E. Strates Shows, contributing to its iconic status.² The midway’s offerings, from Ferris wheels to thrilling rides like the Drop Zone and classic games like ring toss, became a hallmark of the fair.⁴

In the 1930s and 1940s, controversial attractions like “girlie shows” and “freak shows” featuring exhibits such as the “fattest woman” were common but later phased out for family-friendly entertainment.⁵ By 1960, the grandstand hosted performers like Carmel Quinn, Huckleberry Hound and Friends, and Zippy the Chimp, reflecting the era’s entertainment landscape.⁵

A significant milestone occurred in 2008 when Sir Elton John performed his first Vermont show at the fair’s grandstand, prompting the Champlain Valley Exposition to repaint the facility and Ben & Jerry’s to create a limited-batch ice cream flavor, “Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road,” in his honor.⁵

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the fairgrounds hosted Essex High School’s commencement, with masked graduates captured in black-and-white photos for Stephen Mease’s book, Champlain Valley Fair: Images of America.⁵The fair’s centennial in 2022 was celebrated with Mease’s book, featuring over 200 historical images, and a Vermont Historical Society feature on its memorable moments.⁶

By 2025, the fair offered diverse entertainment, including performances by Lil Jon, 38 Special, Loverboy, and Dustin Lynch, alongside attractions like pig racing, a live shark encounter, and the Butterfly Encounter, with new rides, vendors, and a revised midway layout.⁷

Despite its modern appeal, the fair remains committed to its agricultural roots, showcasing well-bred cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, and poultry, as well as competitions for the heaviest pumpkin, pristine vegetables, and preserved goods.³ Educational exhibits, such as milking parlor demonstrations and 4-H shows, highlight Vermont’s farming heritage.⁵ Fair food, from maple-glazed doughnuts to fried dough, and grandstand shows featuring artists like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, and Bruno Mars, alongside monster truck shows and demolition derbies, balance nostalgia with contemporary excitement.³

The fairgrounds, now a premier events center with over 100,000 square feet of indoor space and a 10,000-seat concert arena, host trade shows, concerts, and community events, reflecting the Champlain Valley Exposition’s mission to promote agriculture, education, arts, culture, and entertainment.⁸ As Stephen Mease noted, the fair’s enduring appeal lies in its people and traditions, from children marveling at farm animals to families enjoying the midway, ensuring its place as Vermont’s “Ten Best Days of Summer.”⁵

Sources

1: Champlain Valley Fair, “About Us,” champlainvalleyfair.org, December 23, 2020.
2: Champlain Valley Fair, “100 Years of the Champlain Valley Fair,” champlainvalleyfair.org, August 18, 2022.
3: Hello Burlington VT, “Celebrating 100 Years of Tradition: The Champlain Valley Fair,” helloburlingtonvt.com, October 6, 2022.
4: Vermonter, “The Champlain Valley Fair in Essex Junction, Vermont,” vermonter.com, May 21, 2025.
5: Seven Days Vermont, “A New Book Presents 100 Years of Images From the Champlain Valley Fair,” sevendaysvt.com, August 17, 2022.
6: Vermont Historical Society, “This Place in History: The Champlain Valley Fair Centennial,” vermonthistory.org, 2022.
7: Interlock Roofing, “Champlain Valley Fair 2025,” interlockroofing.com, August 22, 2025; WCAX, “The fun kicks off at the Champlain Valley Fair,” wcax.com, August 22, 2025.
8: Champlain Valley Exposition, “About Us,” cvexpo.org, May 28, 2022.