Historical Directory of American Agricultural Fairs, by Donal Marti, hardcover (good/very good condition, stain on top)
 
Although this title might appeal primarily to readers at land grant or other agricultural institutions, a number of audiences could use it. The agricultural fair is an important feature of American history and rural sociology, particularly in the Midwest. Very little has been published on the subject in recent years.... An excellent introductory essay describes fairs of all types, from trading fairs of ancient times through the Middle Ages, and traces the history of American agricultural fairs, including the political and religious influences, dwelling on the role of the Grange. This section ends with a discussion of the present-day urban fair (book was published in 1986). An extensive bibliography follows this introduction. The directory itself lists 205 present-day fairs alphabetically by the name of the fair, usually a county or state name. Each event or affair includes address, origin of the event, memorable attractions, major focus, admission charge, and attendance in 1984. An 84-page appendix lists almost 2,000 additional regional and state fairs, giving dates and addresses for each. A final chapter cites other studies of fairs, including magazine and newspaper articles as well as unpublished documents. An index of names and subjects follows.