Saline Community Fair Celebrates 89 Years of Tradition and Local Pride

From its humble beginnings in 1936 to today’s family-friendly attractions, the Saline Community Fair continues to adapt and thrive.

Photo: Saline Fair c1948. From the Saline Fair archives

The Saline Observer news for November 19, 1936, included President Roosevelt’s re-election and ads for coffee at .20 cents a pound. But what grabbed the front-page headlines 89 years ago was “Community Fair Was a Gratifying Success,” the first community fair in Washtenaw County.

Inspired by Belleville’s Community Fair, the article proclaims, ”when several of our boys attended that event [Belleville] this year, they were favorably impressed and … culminated in Saline having an equally successful display of community spirit.”  That first community fair was sponsored by the Saline Chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Saline Schools and held in the Union School hallways with outdoor exhibits.

Saline Community Fair History

Throughout the years, the Saline Community Fair expanded while still being held at the Union Street School and Henne Field. Carnival rides were introduced in 1946, and the fair gradually moved from October to late September while highlighting high school football games and a parade on Saturday. In 1966, the fair moved to the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, and in 2011, the fair date was moved before Labor Day.

Meeting the Challenges of Demographic Changes

The landscape and demographics have changed dramatically since those first fair days, creating challenges that the Saline Community Fair Board has met head-on. To keep up with the times, the board has increased advertising on social media and focuses on incorporating a variety of school activities to increase youth involvement.

Scott Diuble, President of the Saline Fair Board, speaks to those challenges. “About 30 years ago, Washtenaw County had about 20 dairy farms – now there are only 5. With this change in rural demographics, we have brought in many interactive activities to draw an audience, such as the baby animal barn, and Aga Olympics – where different teams of all grades and school staff try to best each other at the straw bale toss, wheelbarrow race, or egg toss. We’ve also initiated the ‘Ambassador Scholarship Program,’ which promotes community leadership and brings up the next generation of those in agriculture.”

Saline’s 90^th Community Fair Celebration in 2026

Gone by the wayside are the hog calling contests and soapbox derbies. But Nancy Thielen, Past President of the Saline Fair Association, remarks, “We are already planning for the 90^th Saline Community Fair anniversary next year and plan to bring back some favorites from the past.”

Fair Association President Diuble also speaks of next year’s milestone. “Many have worked hard over the last 89 years to keep this event going, and it is all very rewarding. I do put in a lot of hours planning and organizing and family members are like ‘why do you do that?’ But when they’re with me and they see the kids smile – well, that’s what it’s about.”

For more information on the Saline Community Fair go to www.salinefair.org