154th Children’s Fair – New Ipswich, NH

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Wonderful fair this year. Great seeing old friends from near (New Ipswich) and far (Alaska)

I’d like to thank my co-worker Angelika Weber for assisting me this year in the Garden Shop. I would also like to thank our local gardeners, Mason Brook Nursery, Mason Hollow Nursery and Amazing Flower Farm for their generous donations of flowers and plants that made our sale so successful.

Ready for business. Angelika Weber prepares for the day. Betsy Thoms stopped to survey the scene. Betsy was the former chairperson of the Garden Shop.

Many folks commented on our double flowering Datura, new for this year from Amazing Flower Farm.

Another flower that garnered comment was the Lisianthus (Eustoma) a popular florist flower.

Why shop at Market Basket when you can buy a pepper plant complete with a fully grown red pepper?

Eyes in the sky. At first I thought I heard a large mosquito.

Tickets? we have tickets.

This is a serious expression.

Chicken BBQ

A great choice of Auction Items this year, I’m still waiting for the call that I won 100 gallons of fuel oil. I’ll be waiting for a long while.

Programming Lego robots

4H Robotics Team

The friendly snack bar team. Started the day with coffee and a donut.

A true treasure discovered at the White Elephant Sale

Mike Ordway performed for the Hay Ride participants.

It wouldn’t be a fair without some critters

Don’t let them get your goat

A face only a mother can love.

A choice of horse rides. This was the small one.

Some children chose the big horse, a Belgian. This breed stands between 16 and 17 hands.

Need some help getting down

The horse takes a glance at the rider

A Newfoundland dog attempts to stay cool in the shade

Spinning wool yarn which is dyed with Kool-Aid.

Petting Zoo, a big hit with Ollie (in front)

These clowns lost their heads. Part of the Dan Grady Marvelous Marionette Medley, a fair tradition.

Watching the puppet show on the lawn

Dan takes his Marionettes into the audience to interact with the children. His dog puppet gets a hug.

Twice the fun, this brother and sister may be the youngest people at the fair

At the end of the fair we were treated to an impromtu performance by Mike Ordway and his visitors.

2014 Children’s Fair – Everything else

Sheep at the petting zoo

Spotted a Gator in the Parking Lot

Cotton candy reminds me of fiberglass

Twin brothers enjoy their burgers and chips

Kids love baby chicks

Eye to eye

Larger birds

Sheep shearing demonstration

Gathering wool

Such gentle animals

A Pot-bellied pig

Just take a little off the top

Hot dog fixings

Meanwhile other birds are being BBQ’d

A staple food of the fair

2014 Children’s Fair – Entertainment and Games

Hayrides are always a popular attraction

Mike Ordway of Mason Brook Nursery provided music for folks as they waited for the Hayride

Add captionThe Eagles, Crosby, Still and Nash. Mike covers them all.

In the queue

Picking a prize

A chance to break things and win a PRIZE!

Quite a smile

A look of concern

Dunk and dunk again

Monadnock 4H Robotics

Competition Buttons

Fair attendees had the opportunity to control a robot Visit the Monadnock 4H Robotics Website for more information

Crowd gathers to watch Dan Grady’s Marvelous Marionette Medley

Freddy & Ginny strut their stuff

Pots and pans at the White Elephant sale

Magnificent Lampshade at the White Elephant sale

Karyn Kivela Veeser does the Ice Bucket Challenge “Children’s Fair Style”

See Facebook Video Post by Karyn Kivela Veeser.

Karyn poses for a victory photo

2014 Children’s Fair – Larry Ackerson Auction

The roots of the auction go back to the very beginning of the Fair

As described on the New Ipswich Congregational Church website

“The conception of the Children’s Fair of New Ipswich was in this wise:
“One afternoon in September, 1862, the Pastor of the Congregational Church and Professor E.T. Quimby, the preceptor of the Academy, were driving home from a Sunday School Convention held at East Wilton, and the Rev. Mr. Cutler and Prof. Quimby fell into talk in regard to the possibility of so training children that they , in the early beginning of their lives, would feel it a pleasure and a duty to share with others the good gifts of life bestowed so freely on themselves.
“Mr. Stephen Sylvester had met (with) the young people and had rehearsals, and quite a large band (group) came marching through the entering door at the appointed hour, the older ones, members of the church choir, singing a hymn written for the occasion.
“I think there was prayer and a few brief speeches, and following these, more singing. (Then) the purchase and partaking of refreshments with lively sociability, then an animated auction was attended, at which there was merry competition and playful rivalry, each bidder saying inwardly, ‘It is all going for a good cause.’.
“The sum raised was $65 for the various objects named. It will be remembered we were raising supplies for the Union Army, paying 4200 for the support of a teacher among the freedmen, (emancipated slaves) and living at largely increased cost, with no prospect of immediate change.
“In the early years there were problems designating where the proceeds would go. Here is an example:

Says Mr. T: “I don’t believe in sending money out of town to the heathen when there are neighbor’s children who are staying away from school for want of shoes.”

Response: “ALL right, Mr. T., if you have beets from your garden or plums or currants from your yard to spare, send them up to the Fair so marked. the proceed will be sent where you direct.

“We met as human beings; children of one Father, for one common purpose, to extend to other children of God who are needy the blessings more abundantly bestowed on us. We rarely see, I think, a crowd of happier-looking people than that at the Congregational Church in New Ipswich at the Children’s Fair.”

Taken from a little book owned by NICC and the Historical Society printed on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first Fair.

A special thank you to Betsy Thoms for supplying this information.
We look forward to more tidbits about our past, and how it influences us today!

Auctioneer Bill Tobin discusses the merits of antique tools

Bob Romeril keeps tally of auction items

Bill explains that this is an old painting as evidenced by the lack of a toilet

Do I hear five dollars for this?

Dixie assembles a bag of irons

These were worth a bit more money than most items Saturday, August 16th, was Larry Ackerson’s 40th Children’s Fair. Sunday, August 17th, Larry went to home to the Lord.

2014 Children’s Fair – Welcome to the Garden Shop

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The Garden Shop would be nothing without the donations of our local gardners and these businesses:

Amazing Flower Farm

202 Poor Farm Road

New Ipswich, NH 03071

(603)878-9876

Mason Hollow Nursery

47 Scripps Lane

Mason, NH

(603)878-4347

Mason Brook Nursery

Route 124

Mason, NH

(603)878-0088

NH Daylily

48 Mason Road

New Ipswich, NH

(603)878-2438

These businesses all have unique selection of plants and plenty of expertise, please shop local!

Bob Romeril brought this great dahlia bouquet, it was sold by noon

 

Angelika Weber assisted me in the Garden Shop when Chuck Anderson became ill. Thanks Angelika and Get Well soon Chuck

 

Another Happy customer

 

The plants arrive on Saturday Morning

 

Lots of Begonia choices

 

A first for the Garden Shop was the Camellia. I  purchased it and will report at a later date how it does The plant on the left is a Clivia and one of the nicest specimens I have ever seen

 

Some very interesting Echinacea varieties (left)

 

Fire and Ice Hydrangea, a first for this year

 

Great selection of Heather

 

Enter the Garden Gate

2014 Children’s Fair – Setup Work

The New Ipswich Congregational Church annual Children’s Fair is an annual event held on the third Saturday in August. The 153rd fair was held on August 16, 2014. Planning and preparation take place over the entire year. This posting shows some of the setup work involved prior to Fair Day.

Due to structural problems, the old town hall was not available for the white elephant sale. In July items were sorted and kept under wraps till Fair Day.

Many hands make light work as game are tents are set up

Moving into position

Over the years a bit of tape is required to fix tears in the ice cream  tent

More tears and more tape

Unpacking white elephant treasures

Setting up the white elephant sale which was set up on the grounds outside the closed old town hall

Garden Shop setup (sans plants)

I missed out on these wind chimes, some lucky person must have got them

Artwork and posters too! Clothing was on sale next to the parsonage

Time is running out as Fair Day approaches

Looking for more tie wraps for the broken dish tent

Complicated game counter, wood, pins and hinges.

Expert help

Almost done

Brewing coffee  in preparation for ice coffee on Friday night

Organizing the bookstore

The right tool for driving tent stakes

Almost done with securing the tent for Butch’s Country Store

The finishing touches for the Garden Shop as plants arrive

On Saturday  Morning the chicken BBQ is prepared

Corn-Huskers hard at work on Saturday Morning

Sharing coffee with the other volunteers on Saturday before the the Fair opens

152nd New Ipswich Children’s Fair

Photos of the fair. It was great to see old friends and new faces.

As co-chair of the Garden Shop I dressed in character.

Lining up for white elephant bargains

If you need a coffee pot or toaster, get in line

The chair people could be identified by the tie-dyed shirts, very colorful

Parker and other cub scouts manned the bounce houses

Lisanthus bouquets were a hit at the Garden Shop

Dan Grady’s Marvelous Marionette Medley is always a hit

Take  a bow

Bill auctions a box of dishes, “Do I have a dollar?”

Leaping Lizards

Levitation

Face painting

Great smile

Future in the Red Sox

Panther’s Football member

Add caption

Linda and Meghan

May not be the best toy

Appleton School will become a laboratory for technological archives. Dr Curtis Priest and his wife had a collection of interesting analog devices

Analog techology

Margie serves up some iced coffee

Lining up fora hayride

Mike Ordway entertains the crowds

All aboard for a hayride

Just hatched

How cute are baby ducks?

Cuteness alert

Pony rides

Relaxing

Wow, popular fair

“Buck a bag” at the white elephant, get your bargains now

Sue sells the winning lottery ticket

I scream for ice cream (shakes, cotton candy and fried dough)

Baa

Photo-bombed by spider boy

Popcorn anyone?

Thanks Chuck for the plants and help

Children’s Fair Raffle Basket Donations

Children’s Fair Raffle Basket Table Donations Needed

Raffle Table 2012

We are asking your help for items to be used in the Raffle Baskets.  Any items new, unused or re-gifted; we also appreciate handmade items as well.  Keep us in mind the next time you are shopping at the Dollar Store, Christmas Tree Shop or Job Lots and see something appropriate as suggested below.  A few items from several people can be made into a nice basket.  If you would like to make up a complete basket with your own theme that’s okay too! 

Please bring your donations to Church on Sunday or for more information call Sue Andersen 603-878-4347 or Nancy Fellhoelter 878-4847.

As always we appreciate your generosity!

Gift basket suggestions:

School supplies

Laundry items for college bound students

Tea and Coffee

Car wash items

Gardening things

Gift Certificates – Pizza, Movies, Market Baskets, Car Wash, etc.

Dog and Cat supplies

Kid’s toys and games

Bird supplies

Baking supplies, store bought cookies, biscuits

Snack items

Women’s makeup supplies

We would appreciate donations no later than August 1^stso that we can make the baskets and fill around the donated items!

See you at the fair August 17th, 2013

Email nichildfair@comcast.net

152nd New Ipswich Children’s Fair – August 17th 2013

Save the Date!

152nd NICC New Ipswich Children’s Fair

August 17th 2013

Planning for the fair is a year long enterprise. Music, Games, Food etc.

Bill Tobin, the auctioneer intends to add a little flair to the fair

Bill and his wife Faith, built a float featuring a  full size reproduction of the State Seal of New Hampshire.

This float and it’s construction were featured on the television show New Hampshire Chronicle.

Hopefully Bill will be able to display the float at the Fair. Finding room for it might be a bit a challenge!

July 4th 2011 Amherst Parade

Impressive isn’t it?

Faith Tobin marching behind float

Amherst 4th of July Parade

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