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32 The Beloved MARSHFIELD FAIR is Back for Its 154 th Year There's something comforting about going home. For those who have moved away from the South Shore or out of New England, some traditions are so rich with nostalgia that they will keep you coming "home" for life. After all, what greater rite of passage is there than sharing your childhood with your own children? Every year, the Marshfield Fair attracts more than 150,000 people to the fairgrounds. The ten-day event helps local businesses by not only providing an opportunity to showcase wares, but also driving visitors to the area. Generation after generation, families have enjoyed the fair's many attractions, including rides, games, crafts, music, food and other events. Over the years, the fair has changed and adapted, adding new attractions and saying goodbye to others, but always maintaining its timeless charm. Since 1862, the Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society has sought to improve, promote and provide education about agriculture, horticulture and mechanical arts, with the group's very Written by Robin Young first meeting held during a pivotal time in our history: the Civil War. Starting out with only 19 members, the South Marshfield Farmer's Club, as the society was then known, grew to 29 members by 1865 when they hosted a public meeting where some two hundred people came to show off products from their farms. By the very next year, the same meeting had grown to some nine thousand attendees from all over the surrounding area. In 1867, the Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society was officially formed, and they purchased the land and the meeting house where the Marshfield Fair is still held today. Throughout the years, the hall has been used to meet a variety of town needs, including a site for town meetings, a rental spot for weddings and bingo, an indoor basketball court used by the local high school and even cranberry screening in the basement. The site has served many purposes to so many generations of Marshfield natives and remains a central part of the fairgrounds. In the early 1900s, many other structures were added, including barns, sheds and even a racetrack. Horse racing quickly became one of the most popular attractions for nearly a century, coming to an end in the 1990s. The fair has showcased many other types of racing, from motorcycles to new-for-the era automobiles. The demolition derby remains one the of most popular events at the fair today!