MORNING SENTINEL • August 11, 2024
Now in its 206th year, the Skowhegan State Fair, which kicked off last Thursday and ends its 10-day run this Saturday, is the oldest consecutively running agricultural fair in the country and draws about 100,000 visitors in a typical year. First organized by the Somerset Central Agricultural Society, the fair in its early days — before Maine became a state in 1820 — became a place where farmers could learn about the latest techniques, find out about new equipment available and work to improve the breeding of livestock.