Dutchess County Fair sets early gate opening for families with needs

RHINEBECK — The Dutchess County Fair — running from Aug. 20 to Aug. 25 — will host an early gate opening from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 22 for individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino collaborated with Andy Imperati, Dutchess County Fairgrounds president, to invite individuals and their families with sensory sensitivities or developmental issues to attend the early gate opening.

The gates will open at 9:00 a.m. on Aug. 22, and sensory-sensitive hours for the carnival midway will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Powers Great American Midway area will open with limited rides and will be sensory-sensitive until noon. This means that there will be no flashing lights, music, or any other noises that could distract people trying to enjoy rides.

In a press release, Sue Serino said, “With sensory-sensitive ride midway and an earlier opening time, our ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY’ partnership with the Agriculture Society is a true testament to Dutchess County’s commitment to ensuring an enjoyable experience at the Fair for people of all abilities.”

This year, the Dutchess County Agricultural Society added an accessible entrance at Gate 2, near Livestock Hill, having “less of an incline, wider lanes, wheelchair countertops, handrails and a small gathering area inside the gate.”

The fair’s initial start time is 10 a.m., which allows families to walk around an hour before crowds start to arrive. Some attractions will not be running between 10 a.m. and noon, to ease sensory sensitive people into the large crowds.

Throughout the week, ThinkDIFFERENTLY staff will have a sensory-friendly quiet space for those needing to regroup away from the noise. The space will be located on Livestock Hill in the Cornell Cooperative Extension tent and will be open every day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff’s Office Police Benevolent Association, and Explorer Program will host “Operation Safe Child” throughout the week at the fair.

This program is a free service that provides parents and children with child safety information. It also creates a Safe Child ID, which should consist of the child’s name, biographical information, fingerprints, and picture. The card helps “expedite the child’s return, should they ever go missing.”

The service will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. every day at the fair, located at the Sheriff’s Office tent inside the fairgrounds.

The Dutchess County Fair will run from Tuesday, Aug. 20 through Sunday, Aug. 25.

For more information and a full schedule of the Dutchess County Fair’s events, visit www.dutchessfair.com/the-fair.