Deerfield Fair vendors say strong crowds made for successful weekend
Today was the last full day of the Deerfield Fair, and our News 9 crew at the fairgrounds spoke with vendors and small business owners who say the fair seemed more popular this year.
“It seems to have grown a lot,” Krisy Simms of Krisy’s Chicken Tenders said. “A lot more vendors, of course a lot of people, a lot of activity.”
The largest fair in New Hampshire started Thursday, and some vendors credit four straight days of good weather for the strong turnout.
“Business has been good for us,” Simms said.
“The crowds have been great. We’ve been super busy,” John Chaflin of JC’s Market & Deli said.
Chaflin said the Deerfield Fair is one of the biggest weekends of the year for his family.
“This pays for our vacation, and we all go on vacation together, and this covers all our expenses. This is the only fair that we do a year,” Chaflin said.
The fair also comes with generations of tradition.
“I’m the sixth generation of working food concessions and being at this fair, particularly in New Hampshire,” Kelly Conn of Kelly’s Rice Bowls said.
Conn said she’s proud to return for another year.
Simms told News 9 she lives in North Carolina, but for the past 35 years, she has returned to the fair to help operate her family’s business.
Aside from the food and souvenirs, others come for the rides.
Brantley and Thomas Walker from Maine said they’ve now attended the fair in back-to-back years and love the rides.
WMUR’s Ricky Podgorski took a spin on one of the rides with the Walkers. The trio said it was a blast.
Other businesses and groups at the Deerfield Fair said it was a successful weekend, but they’re already looking forward to when it comes back around next year.