The ultimate guide to enjoying the Common Ground Fair
... and the many different types of people you'll see there.
In the past 29 years there have been more years that I have been to the Common Ground Country Fair than I haven’t. The first time I went I was 14, back when it was still at the Windsor Fairgrounds, and it was still a relatively small event geared towards Maine organic farmers and the people that love them. It was drum circles and solar panels and homemade hummus and the biggest draft horses you’ve ever seen. It was pretty chill.
Since then, the fair has doubled and then tripled in size, in 2025 attracting more than 70,000 people over the course of its three days. It’s become a marquee attraction in the northeastern United States for those serious about living This Organic Life, for progressive and nature-loving people of all stripes, and for anybody just looking to catch a nice vibe and eat some nice food at the hinge point between summer and fall.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of the vendors and presenters come back to the Fair each year and thus it can get a little repetitive, I find myself having a great time every time I go. As a veteran fair-goer, I feel qualified to give my well-informed and unvarnished opinions and suggestions for Common Ground newcomers, who have yet to experience the magical combination of lifestyles, talents, species, eccentricities and ingenuity that is the Fair.
The Common Ground Fair is set for Sept. 19-21 at the headquarters of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association in Unity; tickets are available here or at the gate.
Getting there
Fair organizers try to make it as easy as possible to get to the fair by any means other than car - mostly by either parking at the Belfast and Moosehead Lake train stations in Unity or Thorndike and taking the train in (it’s fun and I recommend!), or by riding your bike. That said, the majority of people do drive, and you will likely be parking anywhere from a 5 to 15 minute walk from the entrance gates. It’s a nice walk! You’ll meet people. Take a picture of where you parked. And be as nice as you possibly can – honestly, be extra nice - to the engineering geniuses that organize fair parking.
Animals
Everybody loves the animals, from babies to old people to me, who is basically a child. How often do most people get to be around a wide variety of animals? Not very often! The big ‘uns – the horsies and cows and stuff - are very cool, and the goats and sheep are always super entertaining, but it’s the little buds that are my favorite. The guinea pigs, the chickens, the ducks and, of course, THE BUNNIES, especially the BIG HUGE ONES and the EXTRA FLUFFY ONES. Here is where I say that you may NOT purchase a bunny and bring it home as a pet; not unless you already have one or more bunnies and are already equipped to be a rabbit parent. Tell your children to shut their pie holes. We are not getting a bunny.
The sheepdog trials are, of course, wonderful, because border collies are perfect little psychos and are as smart as everyone says they are. I know this personally. Our dog Iggy is half border collie, and he’s pretty much a person. Also, don’t sleep on the pigs! There’s a whole pig area off to the side, and they have so much personality and are so fun to be around. Come face to face with a pig and know in your soul that, out of all the animals we raise and kill to eat, pigs truly are the ones most like us (and I say this as someone that generally avoids but sometimes still does eat pork). I walk away with guilt. I always do when I am near animals that we raise for food.
Plants
One of my favorite things to check out at the fair is the prize-winning veggies, fruits, flowers and other homegrown goodies in the Exhibition Hall. Little dishes of glossy dried beans. Fruits you didn’t know could grow in Maine. The most perfect, symmetrical dahlias you’ve ever seen. Tomatoes that look like stained glass. Carrots that look like people. Vaguely pornographic gourds. Even more fun is to actually read the judges’ thoughts on the cards attached to the winners, if you love wholesome farmer humor.
Food
Honestly, where to start? There’s so much food! Here are some of my perennial favorites, as well as a few newer entries I discovered just last year. Pro tip: You will be waiting in line for food for a good long while. Maybe 10 minutes, maybe 20, maybe 30. This is a part of the fair experience. Make friends with your neighbors in line. Don’t be an impatient asshole. Accept your fate. It’s so much better that way.
Fried shiitake mushrooms from Shiitake Farm: Every year I say I’m going to spend my money on some new food, and every year I just basically get this anyway because it’s so freaking good. It’s worth the $20 for a big one. It is the true definition of umami.
Falafel pita from Falafel Mafia: Really great falafel - crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside - and excellent hummus and sauces and pickled things and other tasty toppings.
Pie cones from Pie Cones: I remember the actual Pie Cone standalone business in the 1990s, which was on Route 1 in Belfast near the Searsport line. It’s such a fun concept and if you haven’t tried it yet, do it this year. My fave is strawberry rhubarb and/or Indian pudding.
Cream puffs from The Good Loaf: A fluffy pastry vehicle for large amounts of whipped cream, topped with fruit. What’s not to love?
Switchel from Sagadahoc MOFGA: Of course a nice cup of apple cider in the fall is delightful, but have you tried switchel? The old-timey farmhand drink meant to slake your thirst and restore electrolytes after a long day in the field? Try it. It’s great.
Pizza from Tinder Hearth: This Brooksville-based bakery and pizza restaurant is kind of impossible to get a reservation at during the summer, so now’s your chance to grab a slice or a croissant.
Events and music
I love to peruse the schedule for the Fair, because there are workshops titled things like “Is A Guernsey Right For Your Homestead?” which is a question I have never asked myself. There’s truly an overwhelming number of workshops and presentations to pick from, and I can’t suggest only one; make sure you check out the full schedule here.
For me, I’m intrigued by learning how to roast chestnuts; the Maine tradition of bean hole beans, learning the basics of foraging for wild edibles; stuff like that. You can bring a broken zipper or torn down jacket and MaineGearShare will help you fix it. You can learn all about low-impact forestry, or growing garlic, or the fine art of keeping chickens. The Children’s Garden Parade and the Bike Parades are a delight, every day. If you can connect with apple expert John Bunker at one of his presentations, make sure you do so, if only to learn a TON about apples. And, no visit to the Fair is complete without checking out the Harry S. Truman Manure Pitch-Off, in which participants compete to see who can toss a big chunk of horse poop the farthest, or most accurately toward a target.
And as for music, there’s a ton of great stuff to check out, but my personal picks for this year include the super-talented Maine songwriter Louisa Stancioff, who opens up the fair at noon on Friday; The Huddled Masses Orchestra, an eastern European-style bass band who will roam about the fairgrounds all weekend; and Portland ska band El Grande at 1:45 on Sunday.
Shopping
Before you go, remember two things! 1. Bring several tote bags to carry all your shit, and possibly a folded up box in case you buy something that can’t just be shoved in a bag. 2. You will be carrying this stuff around all day, so be prepared to not have easy access to your phone or have difficulty eating an ice cream cone or plate of noodles whilst walking. That said, here are some of my favorite things I’ve bought at the fair over the years.
House plants
There are several vendors selling a beautiful selection of pre-potted succulents and other cute additions to your home jungle, often at extremely affordable prices. If you really want to up your plant mommy or daddy game, the bonsai tent is a challenging (though understandably pricey) step up.
Cut flowers
One of the bougie things about me is that I love cut flowers and would absolutely splurge on regularly having them in my house if I had a lot of money. I really dislike cultivated florist arrangements and vastly prefer the kind of wild or organic-looking bouquets that, wouldn’t you know it, you can buy at the fair! Treat yourself.
Tools and gadgets
Every year we think about buying an axe. They look and feel so satisfying; useful and hefty and elegant and just a little bit intimidating. Pricey, too, but certainly worth it. For a less-expensive buy, there are really cool hand-forged metal home goods and kitchenware, baskets and carriers for your garden and other tools and gadgets to put to work.
Prints and art
Over the years I’ve bought several pieces of art to hang on my walls or display on a countertop from Fair vendors. Among my favorites are a block-printed black-and-red cardinal now framed in our living, a series of hand-painted wooden squares with bold, graphical Maine themes; and a little pressed flower shadowbox from ages ago that was sadly lost in a post-college move.
Cooking accoutrements
I love to buy a little thing to make a recipe taste nice. I like buying a shaker of maple sugar, or a thing of Maine-processed paprika, or a spice blend, or maybe a jar of weird vinegar. Maybe some pickles or loose leaf tea. Something that isn’t going to get crushed or bruised or go bad before I get it home. Something I can use more than once. It makes a great gift, too.
A cozy thing for winter
The fair is a great place to get a scarf or a hat or maybe a pair of gloves or socks, handmade by someone right here in Maine. Sheep? Alpaca? Rabbit? Choose your fiber. Every time you wear it in the colder months you’ll think of how nice out it was when you bought it.
People watching
Maybe my favorite part of the fair? I love seeing all the different kinds of people that show up. Keep an eye out for:
The dude in a Patriots t-shirt, suspiciously eyeing the tofu stand, relieved that his wife/girlfriend wanted to go to the Fair on Saturday instead of Sunday.
A Patagonia-clad couple in their 30s, recently transplanted from New York to Portland, trying to navigate their weapons-grade stroller across the grass. Tension simmers beneath the surface. The vibes in the Volvo will be VERY difficult on the ride home.
The crustiest, dustiest old hippie you’ve ever seen in your life, in the most magnificently colorful homemade overalls and wizard hat. Actually, at a second glance, it appears they are an actual wizard. Radagast the Brown is at the Common Ground Fair, y’all.
Women spinning yarn in the fiber arts area, who have achieved a level of calmness and stillness that rivals any Zen master.
The TikTok influencer who just discovered this neat little event, thousands of miles from civilization.
The natural medicine exponent who has crossed the rubicon between harmless hippie and MAHA-supporting anti-vaxxer. Not great!
A man in his early 20s furiously attempting to get the bell to ring every time at the fire department-sponsored hammer game, just so everyone sees how strong he is.
The Highest Person in Maine.
Only on Sundays: The exhausted food vendor who is barely keeping their cool after three days of spiralizing potatoes or grilling chicken or scooping ice cream.
Dancing lady! The lady who dances! See her white lady dancing dreads whip around as she dances, even when there is no music! Feel her! Smell her!
The most adorable children you’ve ever seen, sledding down the hill on pieces of cardboard. For a moment, you think perhaps humanity can be saved from the algorithm. Maybe our true nature is that of a child, screaming with laughter. Maybe a better world is possible. The cynicism can wait for a different day. You look around at all the dreamers and hopers and people who want to make things less awful, and you think, man, I’m glad to live in Maine, where this stuff still happens.
great summary of the many years of the CG Fair Ive seen. See you there on Saturday!