Orange County Fair (New York)

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The Orange County Fair is an annual fair held in Middletown, New York. The fair began as an agricultural exhibit in 1843, and was permanently located in Middletown in 1857. The fairgrounds are also home to the Orange County Speedway, where they hold stock car races, demolition derbies during the summer months. It is the oldest continuously operating dirt track in the United States.In 1919, a group of visionaries decided to stage an automobile race during the annual fair. The first race was a huge success, and auto racing has been an integral part of the Fairgrounds ever since.

There were no races from 1942-1945 because of WWII. Auto racing was suspended "for the duration" because of shortages of gasoline, steel, aluminum, and rubber. Ever since then OCFS has been running hard every single saturday night from April to August. It also holds the annual Eastern States Weekend, where dirt modified, 358- modified, and sportsman drivers race their cars in a 200 (modified), 150 (358s), and 50 lap races. The weekend usually falls in mid-october. This is the last hoorah of the racing season for most regulars at the track. Tommy meier is also a driver at the speedway during the summer months.

In the 1980s and early 90s the Orange County Fairgrounds hosted major concerts such as Aerosmith, Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Judas Priest but problems eventually stopped big concerts here. In 2005, the stage was dismantled.^{[citation needed]}

Although the fair maintains some of its original rural themes such as 4-H and Future Farmers of America exhibits, the focus today is more on the midway games and amusement rides.

"The History of Orange County Fair Speedway, Middletown NY." Victory Speedway. 1 Dec. 2008 <http://www.victoryspeedway.net>.