The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-13
OKYE0RA'S OWN COUNTY FAIR
THIS YEAR 4 FANCY DRESS BALL
Turned OFT TO GRASS.
4 Picturesque Outdoor Event - meh'
known People In Queer Costumes--
Artists and Writers al Play Men. WOm-
en- and Poets Enjoy = Strange Scene.

Onreora has had it's County Fair. Six
simple sounding words. but they mean that
the most picturesque out-of-door event III
the country has taken place.
II any one doubts this superlative, let
him close his eyes, imagine gigantic am
phitheatre of mountains. Il tnmul' OF clouds
and sunshine and blue sky, wee green acre
Of hillside Pickering with flags, and --- we'll,
a mummy stalking about, incredibly I'M
bending; a Minnchaha in noiseless moe
casins. crossing his path with an Occidental
fling of the dead Orient; a jester with cap and
bells: siy-foot Pierrot with n kodak under
his arm; Nero with n golf complexion; in
short. a medley Of $50 characters from the
past, the present and the future, selling
everything from Turkish cigarettes to old
straw hats TO a crowd of poets, painters,
peasants and about everything else you
can think Of whether it is Alternative or
not
To begin az the beginning, and to para
phrase an old conundrum
When is County Fair not county falr'
Answer: When Il begins with capitals and
has "Onteora" before it.
What's On'eora'
A sort of heaven in the Catskills run on
The principle OF the modern Uncle Toms
Cabin" For whereas Heaven is content
with ono Saint Peter and one gateway
Onteora has two gates and two Saint Peters,
and none NAV enter therein without--it IA
saba certificate of character from two or
more reputable celebrities or at least a
five dollar installment OF press clippings
upon ones own account.
At any rate, there are the two SAM
Petered gaevays where permits must he
shown before one may enter Onteora Park'
the Catskill summer home Of certain IA
NOUS persons and Of certain others who are
famous good fellows il not otherwise noted
That is Onteora Now for the County
Fair.
Several years ago, the Onteora folks got
up an imitation OF the common or garden
variety Of county fair. 1t was all there
the cake that mother baked. the quilt that
grandmother pieced, the largest ear OF corn
the biggest pumpkin, the horse races
| mile trotted in $50 1873 the lemonade made
| ip-tho- shade, and all the staple attractions
The size Of the SUCCESS dwarfed even the
prize pumpkin.
| Every wear since that event Onteora hai
given something 1t is always called the
| County Fair.
That's its name But the event ia no
ahacklod by the title. Sometimes It Ia
harvest home festival. where the arrange
mert of onions and turnips and cabbage
done by noted portrait painter Is
thing to dream over. Again, II il collec
| ton of Wild Animals ! Have Known, upor
which occasion well-known poet az Johnny
Rear is perhaps the ciou Of he exhibit.
This wear the County Fair was fancy
dress ball turned out 10 grass. tn" scent
Of il was long grassy oval. enclosed viii
booths atop Of which hnttered hundreds
Of flags and pennants.
The affair opened at 100 O'Clock with Z
parade Of over two hundred and fifty per
sons in costume. With the except ion Of {
dozen from Twilight Park, these were al
inmates" as ono farmer put it, Of On
teorn.
There was some exc,iso for the farmer
phrase. II tn" inmates OF an insane asylum
could dress to suit their various ilnsion'
perhaps the turnout might vie with thii
| County Fair
No sooner had ono passed the turns, i'll
made Of unpoeIed birch boughG thar
one saw al he left a little clord Of japan
.ea girls, trailing their kimonoi across tn
grass as they ran in and out with cups q
stesming tea.
| One rubbed ores cycS md loo' ri again
! NfN Md siark IN from, Of one ~ CCG a mlIrnm