Country Living leaps off the page in Rhinebeck

On the first weekend of October, Country Living leapt off the page and screen and landed at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck for the revitalized Country Living Fair.

Since the 1970s, Country Living has been the gold standard of rural interior and exterior design. The monthly publication, owned by Hearst, has been featuring rustic homes, inns, landscapes and styles for nearly 50 years, with no sign of slowing down.

Though many such publications took drastic hits in the early 2000s with the onset of digital media, Country Living seems to be thriving, with nearly 10 million followers across its social media platforms.. Each month, it brings new inspiration to devoted readers who are quick to like, share and comment on its content from around the rural world.

The Country Living Fair started in 2008 and, in addition to Rhinebeck, has set up camp in Chicago, Nashville, Columbus and Atlanta. The COVID-19 pandemic put the fair on pause after 2019, but now it’s back with a bang.

The fair is a curated blend of flea market, design expo, and, of course, county fair, but the main draw is the vendors. Carefully considered booths packed with rare finds and delightful designs lined several of the covered barns at the Dutchess Country Fairgrounds. The fact that the barns were built to show off prize-winning livestock fit the feeling of the event wonderfully.

Though there was a wide range of wares, everything seemed to fit with the overall vibe of the fair. Some vendors took the time and effort to create unique shopping environments, like one antique seller from Maine who turned his booth into a rustic cabin interior. Another opted not to occupy a barn booth at all, instead setting up shop outside her vintage VW bus.

As part of a unique partnership, Country Living teamed up with Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, to hand-pick sellers from around the country. This led to more makers and crafters than you might find at a regular antique flea market or county fair. Handmade clothes, jewelry, baskets and art complemented multiple booths offering reclaimed quilt coats, totes and even fanny packs.

Beyond the vendors, the fair’s mains tages saw influencers, brand developers, business owners and even a TV celebrity or two talking about their crafts with Country Living Editor-in-Chief Rachel Hardage Barrett. Barrett led consistently engaging conversations in front of enthusiastic crowds of fair attendees.

A musical stage popped out of a vintage camp trailer and featured an impressive lineup of local and national folk acts. Leaving half her band behind, Hudson Valley-based harpist and singer Mikaela Davis wowed crowds on Saturday afternoon. Davis, whose new album “Graceland Way,” was released earlier this year, has an impressive resume of collaborations, including performances with the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, instrumental indie-groove band Circles Around the Sun, jazz bassist Christian McBride, and Connecticut’s rising-star jam band Goose. Her mastery of the harp paired with her smooth vocals worked as a perfect compliment to a warm autumn day in Rhinebeck.

To learn more about Country Living or plan for a road trip to the next fair, visit countryliving.com.