New Book Releases

According to Gov. Robert L. Ehrich Jr., "[The Maryland State
Fair] is an annual opportunity as Marylanders to come together to celebrate the history, tradition, and charm of our State during the best days of summer." The Maryland State Fair has continued the tradition of delighting Marylanders near and far since the late 1800s. Hosting governors to 4-H'ers, farm animals to farm hands, home arts to computer arts, the fair has always promised something for everyone. Fair favorites such as the sweet, intoxicating scent of warm cotton candy and the heartthundering excitement and majesty of Thoroughbred racing were as much a part of the Maryland State Fair 125 years ago as they are today. Readers can find it all in The Maryland State Fair: Celebrating 125 Years.

From its humble, pioneer beginnings to its current incarnation as the largest independent county fair in the United States, the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York, is a beloved western New York institution. Annually, over one million people flock to its historic fairgrounds located just south of Buffalo to celebrate agriculture, showcase time-honored traditions, keep the spirit of competition alive, and, most importantly, come together as a community. Through vintage photographs, Erie County Fair presents a visual narrative of the fair's history and stimulates cherished memories rooted in decades of excitement found at this annual summer gathering. The continuity of the American county fair spirit is most evident through these images from the archives of the Erie County Agricultural Society.

During the mid-20th century, the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York, began a journey that transformed a traditional, agriculturally based fair into the largest independent county fair and exposition in the United States. As the number of fair days and exhibits expanded, so did the number of fairgoers, increasing gate attendance figures to over one million visitors annually. While fair traditions have provided continuity over the decades, the fair continues to evolve and renew itself through improvements to the fairgrounds, the addition of unique attractions, and an ongoing commitment to agriculture. Erie County Fair showcases the many dramatic changes that have taken place during the modern era of this fair. From the thrills of the midway and entertainment to nationally recognized agricultural, creative arts, and livestock competitions, the fair's history comes alive through color photographs from the archives of the Erie County Agricultural Society.

In 1947, The Crisfield Times published an editorial prompting an annual crab derby, a sort of Kentucky Derby spotlighting one of Crisfield's greatest natural resources: the Chesapeake Bay blue crab. The next year, the National Hard Crab Derby began. Since that brief crab race in front of the Crisfield Post Office in 1948, the annual Labor Day weekend event has grown into one of the most recognized festivals in the United States. The entire country participates each year through the Governor's Cup crab race, and all eyes are on contestants as they attempt to break world records in crab picking and boat docking. Champion chefs from throughout the Eastern Seaboard hone their skills during the annual crab cooking contest. Skiff races recall days of the past when work boats sped in from Tangier Sound to sell their day's catch to the area's seafood packers. And Crisfield may be the only city in America where little girls grow up with the dream of someday being called Miss Crustacean!