Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/692580
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IMNOOM James Taylor, Larry David, Jake Gyllenhaal, Seth Meyers, Taylor Swift, Diane Sawyer, Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama… the list of actors, writ- ers, and A-list luminaries bewitched by Martha's Vineyard is endless. But could a famed ox-pulling contest and corn- shucking competitions be the causes behind the enchantment? Now in its 155th year, the annual (and wildly popular) Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair and Livestock Show inundates guests with endless activities, including a midway full of rides, games, and classic fair food; demos about sheep shearing and blacksmithing; a kids-favorite puppet show courtesy of Toe Jam; and pens upon pens of live- stock. If games, demos, and cows aren't your thing, polish up on your ax throwing and chainsaw wielding skills and compete in the Woodsman Contest. "It's an old-fashioned, country-type fair," says fair manager Eleanor Neubert. "People gather to talk and eat and see what's going on." For an old-fash- ioned fair, it sports a star-studded crowd—the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Meg Ryan have sailed through in the past. Which means: Keep one eye on the fried dough and fair games, and another on the glitzy attend- ees. August 18–21, 35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury, 508- 693-9549; marthas vineyardagricultural society.org . AN A-LIST A-FAIR COME SUMMER, IT'S AX THROWING AND SHEEP SHEARING ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD FOR HOLLYWOOD'S BRIGHTEST STARS. BY JORDAN GOSSELIN Conventional fair attractions—plus some not-so- conventional—make the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair and Livestock Show the toast of summer—for locals and luminaries alike. BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 51 SCENE MUST-SEE