The Common Ground Country Fair is an annual 3-day event held every September in Unity, Maine. It is organized by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and highlights rural living and agricultural traditions. The fair features exhibitions, demonstrations, entertainment, organic food, and more. It attracts visitors from across New England and beyond. Determining how many people attend the Common Ground Fair each year provides insight into the event’s popularity and growth over time.
Brief History of the Common Ground Fair
The first Common Ground Country Fair was held in 1977 and hosted about 1,000 visitors. It was initially conceived as a showcase for local rural craftspeople and farmers. Over the next decade, attendance steadily increased along with the range of exhibitions and vendors. By the late 1980s, annual attendance had reached over 10,000.
In the 1990s and 2000s, interest in organic food and sustainable agriculture grew. The Common Ground Fair expanded in size and scope to meet this demand. New demonstrations, speakers, and family-friendly activities were added. Annual attendance topped 50,000 for the first time in 2010.
The fair continues to expand while maintaining its agricultural focus. It is now one of the premier annual events in Maine, attracting vendors and fairgoers from across the region. The most recent fairs have drawn 60,000-70,000 attendees over the three days.
Counting Methods
Accurately counting attendance at the sprawling Common Ground Fair is challenging. The fair encompasses over 200 acres, with events spread across barns, buildings, and outdoor areas. There are numerous entrances without controlled access. Festival organizers employ a few different methods to estimate crowd sizes:
Ticket Sales
The Common Ground Fair sells single-day and 3-day passes in advance online and at the gate during the event. Tracking these sales provides a baseline number for attendance. It likely undercounts actual attendance somewhat, since children under 12 get in free and do not require tickets.
Vehicle Counts
The fair organizers work with local police to periodically count the number of vehicles entering and exiting parking areas during the fair. Estimating average occupancy per car provides an estimate of visitors arriving by vehicle.
Aerial Photos
Small planes or drones are used to take overhead images of the fairgrounds several times each day. Crowd size experts analyze these images to estimate the density and size of crowds in key areas. This provides a snapshot of peak attendance, which can be extrapolated to estimate total visitor numbers.
Sample Counts
Volunteers are posted at entrance gates to periodically count visitors passing through. For example, counting for 5 minutes out of every hour allows estimators to calculate hourly rates and multiply to get daily totals.
Staff Estimates
Staff who work at the fair regularly provide subjective estimates of the relative crowd size each day. These on-the-ground observations help contextualize the hard data points.
Recent Common Ground Fair Attendance Figures
The fair organizers synthesize data from the various counting methods to come up with an official annual attendance estimate. Here are the published attendance figures for the past five Common Ground Fairs:
Year | Estimated Attendance |
---|---|
2018 | 58,000 |
2019 | 60,000 |
2020 | Canceled due to COVID-19 |
2021 | 50,000* |
2022 | 65,000 |
*Attendance was reduced in 2021 due to lingering COVID-19 impacts. Capacity restrictions were in place and some vendors and attendees stayed home.
As shown in the table, attendance at the most recent Common Ground Fair in 2022 swelled to an estimated 65,000 visitors over the course of the 3-day event. This demonstrates the fair’s continued popularity in the state and region.
Busiest Days and Times
Looking deeper into the attendance patterns shows that festival traffic tends to peak during certain days and times:
Peak Days
– Saturday is consistently the busiest and most crowded day, often drawing over 25,000 fairgoers.
– Friday is the second most popular day, with attendance typically over 20,000.
– Sunday is more lightly attended but still draws over 10,000 visitors.
Peak Times
– Mid-morning to mid-afternoon (10 AM – 2 PM) are the busiest times each day, especially on Saturday.
– Early morning and late afternoon see smaller crowds.
– Rainy weather may suppress peak attendance but does not empty the fairgrounds.
Knowing these patterns allows visitors to plan trips strategically to avoid heavy crowds. It also helps the fair organizers schedule staff and logistics.
Demographics and Visitor Profile
In addition to tracking raw attendance numbers, the fair organizers conduct surveys to better understand the visitor demographics, place of origin, and motivations for attending. Some key findings:
Where Visitors Come From
– 80% of attendees are Maine residents, coming from across the state.
– 15% come from other New England states, especially Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
– 5% come from outside New England, including international visitors.
Visitor Age
– Families with children under 18 make up over 30% of fairgoers.
– Seniors over 65 are also well represented at 25% of the crowd.
– Adults between 30-65 account for the remaining 45%
Reasons for Attending
When surveyed, the most common reasons people give for attending are:
– Interest in organic food, gardening, and rural living (70%)
– Seeking family-friendly activities and entertainment (65%)
– Desire to buy local crafts and goods (50%)
– General enjoyment of festivals and fairs (40%)
Impact on the Local Economy
The influx of tens of thousands of visitors over three days provides a major economic boost to the small rural community of Unity and surrounding county. The fair:
Generates millions in direct spending
Between fair tickets, lodging, shopping, dining, and more, attendees spend an estimated $3-5 million dollars during the event weekend.
Supports hundreds of vendors and exhibitors
The fair hosts over 700 exhibitors. For many local farmers, artists, and craftspeople, the event provides an important source of sales and income.
Promotes agritourism in the region
The fair introduces visitors to the bounty of central Maine farms and products. This agritourism ripples through the local economy long after the fair ends.
Provides employment opportunities
Hundreds of short-term positions are created during the fair weekend itself. The fair employs local residents as ticket takers, maintenance crews, security personnel, and more.
Future Outlook
The Common Ground Fair has found great success in recent years, with attendance numbers swelling to new highs. Can this growth continue sustainably?
Constraints of the current site
The fair may be reaching the capacity limits of its physical facilities in Unity. Expanding further would require infrastructure improvements and more acreage.
Risk of overcrowding
Part of the appeal of the fair is its small-scale, rural character. Excessive crowds could ruin this experience. Caps may be needed to prevent overcrowding.
Competition from other festivals
As the fair grows in popularity, it may start competing with other large events in Maine and New England for visitors. This could limit growth.
Weather and economic conditions
Like any outdoor event, the fair is vulnerable to bad weather. Economic factors like high gas prices could also dampen future attendance.
Despite these risks, the fair’s excellent reputation and appeal to both locals and tourists alike points to continued success if growth is kept sustainable. The fair has become an indispensable part of Maine’s late summer traditions.
Conclusion
Over its four decade history, the Common Ground Fair has grown into one of the premiere annual events in Maine. Tens of thousands of visitors now flock to the fair each September, peaking at an estimated 65,000 attendees in 2022. The fair provides economic benefits, supports local businesses, and showcases the state’s agricultural heritage. While future growth faces some constraints, the fair has proven its value as a beloved destination for both residents and tourists seeking an authentic slice of rural Maine life.