New Features for the Fair
Though the Ladies Village Improvement Society Fair has many longstanding traditions — it turns 118 on Saturday — there will be quite a few changes to this year’s festivities.
For starters, this year’s L.V.I.S. Fair committee, led by Vickie Lundin, chose a theme that was inspired by Karen Klug?lein’s artwork for the fair poster, titled “Cedar Point Rocks.”
“We wanted to take that theme of the beach rocks and carry it through to the barbecue,” said Ms. Lundin, referring to the L.V.I.S. and Lion’s Club barbecue from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. “We are going to have beach rock centerpieces on the tables.” A clam bar will open at 2 p.m., with barbecue takeout available starting at 3 p.m.
This year’s silent auction is stocked with prizes, including tickets to an Eminem and Rihanna concert, Louis Vuitton luggage, and golf packages at private clubs. There will also be a paper auction booth, new this year. Each item in the auction will have its own ticket pool, and participants will be able to enter tickets to win specific items.
This year, the ladies have arranged a free shuttle to take people from the parking lot at the John M. Marshall Elementary School on Gingerbread Lane to the fair on Main Street, a big bonus for people who may be scared away by the village traffic. The bus will run to and from the fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In past years, the Lumber Lane long-term parking lot has filled up completely by mid-morning.
Playland, the children’s section of the fair, will see the addition of a D.J. this year, as well as a hair braiding booth, with braiding offered by a volunteer who donated her time after reading the organization’s annual report. As always, there will be a carousel, face painting, a petting zoo, a toy booth, cotton candy, and games.
A few of the community’s younger members will be helping out on fair day this year. An honor guard unit of Boy Scouts will perform a flag ceremony, and Amanda and Caiti Jo Fiorello, sisters and residents of East Hampton, will sing the national anthem at noon.
Fairgoers can expect to see the vintage clothing, flower, baked goods, and gourmet foods booths and there will be jams and cakes, hot dogs, ice cream, and other foods available for purchase. The L.V.I.S. Bargain Box and Bargain Books stores will be open on fair day, too.
Ms. Lundin is particularly impressed with the sense of community that is felt before and on fair day. She said, “It’s so upbeat and I think that’s what’s so dynamic. It’s all the women coming together for one cause for the community, and we have amazing, brilliant, creative, diligent, energetic, women working together.”
The L.V.I.S. fair will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the L.V.I.S. grounds at 95 Main Street in East Hampton.