WOODSTOCK, N.Y. — The 93rd edition of the Woodstock Library Fair was in full swing Saturday, July 27, with hundreds gathering to take part in the festivities at the historic library on Library Lane.
Visitors were welcomed by clear skies, with local vendors, live music performances, secondhand clothing, arts and crafts, and children’s activities all taking place on the library’s lawn. This year’s theme, “Eras 1931-2024,” celebrates the history of the fair since its inception nearly 100 years ago, in 1931. This year’s Library Fair was a historic one, as the library is set to eventually move to a new location on 10 Dixon Ave.
Samantha Taylor, development director of the library’s move, staffed a fundraising booth on the lawn, offering information to attendees about how they can contribute. “With our new library, a 12,000 square-foot space, we are going to make sure that we build a state-of-the-art library,” she said. Taylor spoke about the current state of the fundraising process.
“We have $2.2 million to start the construction process, so we’re just $200,000 short, which is really just a small silver lining,” Taylor said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the history of our town.
” Contributors had the opportunity to donate to the library’s move in return for a naming opportunity in the new Dixon Avenue location. The site is set to feature new state-of-the-art facilities powered by green energy. In addition to donations, proceeds from the fair will benefit the construction process.
Michael Hunt, president of the Friends of the Woodstock Library and the fair’s director, explained the history of the fair and its importance in the community. Hunt said the fair was developed in 1931, as fundraising opportunities were greatly needed before the library became a public library district. “It was literally written up in The New York Times,” Hunt laughed.
“It was, I think, the only thing happening in Upstate New York in 1931.” Hunt said the fair has become a tradition over the years in Woodstock. “I’m a person, just a caretaker of this beautiful tradition of community getting together,” he said.
“You’ve got to think of the early days. This was a day where everybody could get together: friends and family and visitors alike.” Planning the fair is a labor of love, according to Hunt.
“I’m raising two children here,” he said, “and we’ve got to show them that you work really hard sometimes for not a paycheck, but for something bigger than all of us. This place is an epicenter, culturally and just for survival. “People use it for entertainment, every day people are using the internet because they don’t have internet at home,” Hunt added.
“We are an essential part of this town and it takes a village to keep it going.” Hunt said the fair is an inventive way to encourage fundraising. “This a super fun way to contribute to the library,” he said.
“You’re not cutting a check at the end of the year because of taxes. You’re buying a snow cone or you’re buying clothes for back-to-school, and it’s people you know that are selling it to you.” The library will continue to be a staple in the Woodstock community, even after the move, according to Hunt.
“It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to this,” he said, “but it’s served us well since 1927 and we thank the building and the grounds.” “Our second home is the library,” Hunt added..
