UNITY, Maine — Tickets are on sale now for the 46th annual Common Ground Country Fair. After two years of virtual fairs, this year the Fair will be in-person at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s (MOFGA) Common Ground Education Center in Unity, ME. The Fair, the premier event of MOFGA, will take place on September 23, 24, and 25, 2022.
MOFGA’s annual celebration of rural living will continue to offer something for everyone this year. Recognizing the ongoing reality of COVID, the events and layout of the Fair have been reworked to reduce congestion and long lines. These improvements will support the incredible educational opportunities, food, and marketplace exhibitors Fairgoers know and love. Some of the 2022 highlights include:
- Hundreds of exhibitors and activities centered around sustainable living, from fiber arts to green building.
- Live music including David Mallet, Lynn Deeves Trio, El Grande, Caroline Cotter, Hambone, Dave & Fran, Kat Logan and New Shades of Blue are part of the three day line-up.
- Children’s activities such as the Garden Parade, hay jump, making corn dolls, shaking cream into butter, making flatbreads and many more.
- Organic foods from around Maine.
- The Country Store where this year’s Fair poster, t-shirts, bags, and more are on sale.
- An exciting lineup of keynote speakers including Frances Moore Lappé
- , author of twenty books including Diet for a Small Planet; Maulian Dana, the first appointed Tribal Ambassador for the Penobscot Nation; and Muhidin Libah, the executive director of Somali Bantu Community in Maine.
MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center, which doubles as the fairgrounds, includes a sustainably managed woodlot, the Maine Heritage Orchard and organic demonstration gardens. This landscape provides an ideal backdrop for demonstrations on low-impact forestry, organic farming and gardening, livestock management and other aspects of rural living to take place during the three days of the Fair.
“After two long years and a lot of planning, we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the fairgrounds and supporting a safe and healthy event. We hope you will immerse yourself in the full Common Ground experience and volunteer,” says April Boucher, the Fair’s director.
Advance tickets for the event are going on sale August 1 – September 21, 2022 at MOFGA’s website (https://www.mofga.org/the-
Advance pricing, available until September 21, is as follows: $15 for adults (18-64); $12 for elders (65+); $12 for youth (13-17); free for children (12 and under); and free for persons with disabilities and one attending person. School groups are free on Friday, September 23; and volunteers receive free admission for the day of their four-hour volunteer shift, plus an iconic Common Ground Country Fair T-shirt and other benefits. MOFGA members receive complimentary Fair tickets based on membership level. For information and tips about attending the Fair, visit www.mofga.org.
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), formed in 1971, is the oldest and largest state organic organization in the country and is creating a food system that is healthy and fair for all of us. Through education, training and advocacy, MOFGA is helping farmers thrive, making more local, organic food available and building sustainable communities. Learn more at mofga.org.
–Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association