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MAYFIELD — Why is Mayfield’s top summer event called the “Bannertown Fair”?
The name derives from a poem written by Adeline Wilkins in 1920 for the then-Old Home Day festival. She was the wife of Mayfield’s village mayor at the time.
“Every year I get somebody who’s curious and they ask why it’s called that,” said Jake Van Every, president of the Mayfield Firefighters Association.
From 1922 onward, Old Home Day was known by the Bannertown name, according to Mayfield Town Historian Sandy Town. The three-day event, organized by the Mayfield Firefighters Association since 1976, has only been canceled once as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festivities begin again on Thursday evening. About 5,000 people are projected to come out.
Van Every doesn’t expect any major changes this year.
“It’s a nice way for everyone to get together and see each other,” Van Every said. “I see a lot of the kids just get together and see each other before the school year starts.”
Anticipate games, food and 11 rides, including a Tilt-A-Whirl and merry-go-round. Syracuse-based Wheelock Games will bring out a new LED Ferris wheel.
“I’m anxious to see that light up in the night sky,” Van Every said.
Rides are open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Between 60 to 75 vendors will cover the fairgrounds. The Upstate Ice Plex, a proposed hockey area project, will hold a 4×4 Polaris Quad raffle, and sell tickets for upcoming barbecue and pancake breakfast fundraisers.
“There’s a lot of work involved with the group,” said UIP founder Timothy Rizzo. “We’re busy.”
Along with vendors, more than 100 volunteers show up to put on the fair, according to Van Every. The fair takes about a week to set up and 11 months to coordinate.
Fulton County lacks a formal countywide summer fair. The closest event to Mayfield is the Fonda Fair, which starts at the end of August.
Van Avery believes the event functions as a hyperlocal alternative to county fairs. Since the tenure of former 2011 to 2019 chairman John Becker, Van Every said the venue has significantly expanded.
“He had big dreams like I do,” said Van Every. “We’ve increased the size of the rides that we’ve been able to bring in so that teenagers have something to do and we’ve really increased the quality of entertainment.”
On Thursday, alternate rock band Rev. D will be performing from 6 to 10 p.m; long-time local group Skeeter Creek will take the stage on Friday from 7 to 11 p.m; the lineup for Saturday includes Westside Drive, Danny Lynaugh and Tommy V Live from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“Tommy V Live puts on one heck of a show and makes you think back to all of those ’80s big hair bands that you grew up watching with the pyrotechnics and it’s insane,” said Van Every.
While the admission is free, pre-admission wristbands for live acts and rides cost $15.
WHERE: 28 N. School St, Mayfield
WHEN: Thursday and Friday, 6 to 11 p.m; Saturday, 1 to 11 p.m. The Bannertown Parade starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday
HOW MUCH: Free
Tyler A. McNeil can be reached at 518-395-3047 or [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook at Tyler A. McNeil, Daily Gazette or X @TylerAMcNeil.
