MOFGA Wants Your Input on How to Improve the Common Ground Fair

With plans to hold this year's Common Ground Fair in-person, organizers are asking for the public's input on how to improve it.

What is the Common Ground Fair?

Held each September at the Unity Fairgrounds, the Common Ground Fair is a celebration of rural living, that features everything from educational opportunities to demonstrations and a marketplace full of products made by local artisans. One of my favorite parts of the fair is the food court, which offers up locally sourced food. I'm especially fond of the lamb kabobs.

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Unfortunately, the pandemic has prompted organizers to cancel the in-person Common Ground Fair for the past couple of years. While they still provided opportunities for some virtual sharing of information, it just wasn't the same as wandering the fairgrounds, eating delicious food, checking out some demonstrations, and seeing all the animals.

What's Planned for This Year and Why the Survey?

The good news that, this year, the plan is to return to the full fair experience and maybe even expand on it. Organizers are thinking about possibly expanding the fair an extra day. But before they make any permanent plans, they want your opinion on whether it's a good idea. And if you're agreeable to it, whether you'd rather the extra day be on Thursday or Monday.

How Do I Find the Survey?

That's just one of the questions on a survey that can be found on the Common Ground Fair website. Organizers with the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association are hoping new and experienced fairgoers, alike, will take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire, so they can get make informed decisions. Updates on those decisions will be shared on the MOFGA website, as the date gets closer. This year's Common Ground Fair dates are September 23rd, 24th, and 25th. (unless, of course, they add an extra day) I can taste the kabobs already.