RHINEBECK — The Dutchess County Fair has ended for the season, which ran from Aug. 20 until Sunday, Aug. 25.
The Dutchess County Fair designated 12 acres of the fairgrounds to showcase local livestock. This included 12 barns housing dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits, three show arenas with daily scheduled events, and workroom demonstrations.
Besides offering dozens of themed gardens, waterfalls, and ponds filled with koi and colorful flowers, the fair also travels back in time with the “turn of the century treasures.” It features a century museum village, the firefighters’ museum, a working blacksmith shop, and a gas-powered engine show.
Classic treats like candy apples and cotton candy fed the masses at the Dutchess County Fair. The annual fair in Rhinebeck is one of the largest attractions in Dutchess County with 12 acres of fairgrounds and barns showcasing livestock, along with three show arenas, free entertainment and plenty to eat.Photo by Olivia Valentine
Free entertainment included live music, frisbee dogs, a stilt circus, racing pigs, a petting zoo, dock dogs, a fishing tank, and a VR tractor ridealong. Musicians who performed included Tracy Byrd, Kameron Marlowe, Conner Smith, Kissnation, Bluffett, and Grammy-winning artist Rick Springfield.
Agencies represented included the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Medical Reserve Corps, Animal Response Team, and more.
A major partnership with the fair is ThinkDifferently, implementing accommodations for individuals and families with disabilities.
“ThinkDIFFERENTLY Thursday was born half a dozen years ago with the understanding that institutions like this and places like this often are difficult for individuals with any amount of disability to access,” U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-19) said.
Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss’, the Town of North East’s clerk, and her father, Julian, won two blue ribbons at the Dutchess County Fair for his maple syrup. From a third-generation farm in Dutchess County, Julian started making maple syrup about 14 years ago, naming it Home Farm Maple Syrup. This was his first year competing at the fair, winning four ribbons. To learn more about Julian’s syrup, visit @homefarmmaplesyrup on Instagram or email homefarmmaple@optonline.com
Photo by Olivia Valentine
The ferris wheel at the Dutchess County Fair ran all week, taking visitors high into the sky. The annual fair in Rhinebeck is one of the largest attractions in Dutchess County with 12 acres of fairgrounds and barns showcasing livestock, along with three show arenas, free entertainment and plenty to eat.
The Dutchess County mobile health unit parked at the rail trail parking lot on Wednesday, March 12, to provide vaccinations and help patients schedule appointments with healthcare providers.
While the offerings were limited, the services on tap that day are much-needed in the region, which lacks a sufficient number of health providers and clinics.The NECC already provides transportation for those in need to pharmacies and doctor’s offices.
NECC’s mobile health day was an attempt to connect the public with easy-to-access care at Dutchess County’s mobile health unit, a large van parked a few doors down from the NECC at the rail trail parking lot on South Center Street.
“The health care desert we experience in northeast Dutchess County can be felt by all our neighbors, who often have to drive increasingly far distances to access the health care they need,” said Cheri Johnson, who serves as the NECC’s marketing and outreach coordinator. “While NECC’s transportation program provides approximately 2,800 free rides per year to those needing transport to medical appointments, this now-monthly gathering of mobile healthcare providers is a great way to bring medical services right into the heart of our community where we need them the most.”
Nurse practitioner Barbara Lopez-Heffernan, who was on-site that day, is bilingual in English and Spanish. Should a patient arrive who isn’t fluent in either tongue, a translation service LanguageLine, is available for those in need.
Lopez-Heffernan, who works with the Department of Health, conveyed that being able to converse with her patients in whatever language they speak fosters a sense of comfort, especially for nervous patients, and helps build patient-practitioner connections. “It’s important to reach patients where they’re at,” she said. “I tell my patients I’m here for you.”
Among the services offered that day included testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, and blood pressure checks along with informational pamphlets. “I triage, refer or treat,” said Lopez-Heffernan.
Sun River Health in Amenia had a table set up inside the NECC where information was provided and answers were given to questions about services.
In addition to the NECC and the Department of Health, Sharon’s Hospital’s Diaper Connections was also around with a generous supply of disposable diapers to provide to patrons in need. Diaper Connections, which is primarily privately funded, has received some grant monies. The organization serves approximately 85 children per month, and about 85% of families with newborns have diaper needs.
According to Candy Osborn, RN, of Sharon Hospital, about 85% of new parents have diaper needs with the birth of a newborn for a variety of reasons. Income is a factor, but sometimes parents are just not properly prepared.
An inflatable welcomed the public to Mobile Health Day on March 12 at the rail trail parking lot, just down the street from the NECC, one of the event’s sponsors.Photo by Krista A. Briggs
“I really feel a lot of families don’t know the resources,” Osborn said. “No judgment here. If you have a need, you have a need.” Osborn conveyed that about 40% to 50% of families with diaper needs in the first month of a newborn’s life return for additional supplies thereafter.
“Mobile Health Day was an excellent way to serve all members of our community, and a large number of people took advantage of the offerings made by North East Community Center, Dutchess County Health Department, Sharon Hospital’s Diaper Connections, and Sun River Health of Amenia,” said Johnson. “We look forward to continuing to provide these resources and are excited for our next mobile health event on April 9 at the South Center Street rail trail parking lot in Millerton.”
