Vermont State Fair

The first Vermont State Fair took place in 1846, making it one of the oldest state fairs in the United States. Originally named the Rutland State Fair, the event started out as a one day event. The first fair took place in a field near Castleton, with Fredrick Button as the first President of the Rutland County Agricultural Society. The fair became popular enough that, in 1849, the Rutland Railroad began putting extra cars on their trains to bring people from all over Vermont and Western New York to visit. After moving around Rutland County for a few years, the Rutland Fair grew closer to Rutland City, sometimes setting up on land owned by John Cain (now Grove Street, north of Crescent) or on the old Baxter Estate. The Fair was given a permanent home in 1856. The land at 175 South Main Street in Rutland, VT was originally known as the Rutland County Park. The fair, which was officially renamed in 1972 as the "Vermont State Fair" is still held at this location today. The Fair has had top name entertainers that included Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, Charlie Pride, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels Band, Vince Gill, and Scotty McCreery.