About the Fairgrounds

All About the Fair

HISTORY OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR^®/

SUSSEX COUNTY FARM & HORSE SHOW

1919 - Branchville Businessmen hold a 3 day horse show in September.

1924 - The Sussex County Horse Show begins at Ross’s Corner in Augusta.

1926 - The Sussex County Horse Show moves to Branchville at a private track.

1940 - On April 26, 1940 the Sussex County Farm & Horse Show is incorporated as a non-profit organization with 14 people signing the incorporation papers.

1942-1945 - The Sussex County Farm & Horse Show is not conducted due to World War II.

1955 - The Sussex County Farm & Horse Show suffers its first disaster as Hurricane Connie hits Branchville during the Fair. The officers have to borrow $2000 from the Branchville Bank to pay creditors.

1963 - A committee is formed to find a new site for the fairgrounds. On August 14, 1963 the directors purchase a new site in Augusta, NJ, which includes 126 acres for $55,000.

1970 - Directors show increased interest in moving to, or expanding, the new site.

1973 - $15,000 is spent on the new grounds for making roads and a pond.

1975 - The Fair Association signs a mortgage for $225,000 to start development of the new fairgrounds in Augusta. This money allows for some land improvement, the building of two restrooms, a well, a horse show ring, and some roads.

1976 - Opening ceremonies for the dedication of the new fairgrounds in August. There is one permanent building, the blue exhibit building.

1976 -1998 - Various other permanent buildings, pole barns and stables are built.

1998 - Funded by donations from local businesses and friends of the Fair, the Administration building is built and dedicated in June. This building united all the various offices under one roof, and provides meeting space for various fair groups.

1999 - The Sussex County Farm & Horse Show obtains the additional name of New Jersey State Fair, which becomes a registered trademark.

2005 - The 1975 bathroom is demolished to make room for a larger new bathroom. This bathroom was also paid for using donations from the community.

2009 - A local businessman and his wife contribute towards a green building called the Conservatory. This building is used during the Fair for the Flower Show and during the rest of the year for weddings and social events.

2010 - The area behind the Conservatory was redesigned with landscaping and gardens.

The New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show
True To Its Roots

Has been in existence for over 65 years.
One of its goals, stated in its incorporation papers, is to educate the public about agriculture.
Has continued to mirror the face of agriculture in New Jersey. In the northwest portion of the state, it has shifted from dairy farming to more horses, ornamental landscaping, goats and other small animals. This is reflected in the Fair’s exhibits and competitions. New breeds also get a showcase here.
A balance has been maintained between the carnival/ commercial areas and the agriculture area. Agriculture and the horse show areas comprise at least half the fairgrounds.
There are offerings in the horse show and the livestock pavilion every day of the Fair. There is free seating in each area. Pole barns are open to the public.
The Snook Museum has replicas of a general store, rooms in a farmhouse and a large collection of farm machinery. Adjacent to it are antique engines.
Farm Fun is an interactive exhibit geared to young children. They can ‘milk’ a cow, maneuver the hay maze, bring agricultural products to market on a conveyer belt, pick ‘apples’, wash clothes in a tub and hang them out on the line, and build scarecrows.
The quarter acre greenhouse is the site of the vegetable show and scarecrow contest. Adjacent is a garden tended by 4-H members.
The Honey Show features a beekeeper who goes into a cage of bees and lectures about their habits and answers fairgoers’ questions.
The Poultry Show keeps an incubator of chicks in their building with information about the development inside an egg.
The Conservatory houses the Flower & Garden Expo, with plant and flower arrangements. Landscaped gardens are located outside of the Conservatory.

Attendance

Attendance at the New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show averages 200,000 fairgoers. Weekends are the busiest with the two Saturdays having the largest gate during the ten days of the Fair. Evenings after 4 p.m. are the busiest times on weekdays.

Children’s Day, is traditionally held on Tuesday. There is a reduced admission for children that day and many kid-friendly activities.

Did You Know?

…despite our name, the New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show does not receive funding from the state or county? All funds for the operation, maintenance, and development of the Fair are generated from Fair revenues, rental income for use of the facility, and sponsorship from many generous, community minded businesses and individuals. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Fair has few paid employees, with the majority of the Fair work being done by over 1,300 dedicated employees.

Our Facility

The Fairgrounds are located on 145 acres with 16 permanent buildings in Augusta, Sussex County. We are centrally located (20 min.) between Pennsylvania and New York. All the roads on the grounds are paved and professionally landscaped. Field parking accommodates 5000 cars. Our paved handicapped parking area accommodates 200 cars.

The Fair & The Community

The New Jersey State Fair®/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show is truly an organization which is an integral part of its community. As a showcase of Sussex County and all that it produces, it is the biggest & most well-known event in the area and attracts visitors from all over the tri-state area.

It can be said that the Fair has adhered very closely to its Mission Statement tenets to showcase New Jersey agriculture; provide safe, family-friendly entertainment; present educational activities; promote youth development; and give financial support to charitable, non-profit agencies. Its contributions during the Fair include providing a showcase for agriculture and county 4-H organizations, as well as a wide variety of fun and educational activities and events. Many people are unaware of the support the organization provides to the community throughout the rest of the year. Some examples include providing fields for local youth athletic groups, meeting spaces for many 4-H clubs, local towns and organizations, and use of the grounds at minimal cost to Local non-profit organizations for their events. The Fair Association is proud to have donated over $500,000 to county charities to lessen the burdens on local communities in meeting the needs of health and human welfare.