Established in 1821, The Great Danbury State Fair was a Connecticut staple for over 100 years. Chances are, if you grew up in The Nutmeg State, you have countless memories of vibrant parades, incredible livestock shows, and thrilling carnival rides. Sadly, this exciting extravaganza ended in 1981, but we can still look back into the past with these fascinating historic photos. It’s easy to see why the Danbury Fair in Connecticut delighted visitors for so many years.

The Danbury State Fair started in 1821 as an agricultural event, but it soon blossomed into something even more impressive.
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After the first three-day event, the Danbury State Fair was extended to 10 days. The photo above features a fascinating postcard from the 1908 state fair.
In its 160-year history, the Danbury State Fair was only cancelled twice.
RANiEL1963/Youtube
It was cancelled in 1918 due to the flu pandemic and again from 1942 - 1945 due to WWII.
People loved watching the extravagant parades and looking at the impressive livestock.
Dada1960/Wikimedia Commons
In the early 1900s, animal exhibits stole the show. These attractions were so popular, the team at Danbury State Fair built additional buildings to house the horses, cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs.

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The fair was known for its giant fiberglass sculptures.
RANiEL1963/Youtube
The giant Uncle Sam statue is 38 feet tall and is believed to be the tallest one of its kind! You can see it for yourself at the Railway Museum in Danbury.
In 1929, horse and auto races took the crowds by storm.
Dada1960/Wikimedia Commons
People came from all around to watch these thrilling events.
This fair was so fun, Danbury High School once cancelled classes so students could attend.
Dada1960/Wikimedia Commons
In 1946, 1,500 students at Danbury High School refused to go to class on the Friday of fair week. Instead of punishing them, the school superintendent cancelled classes and the fair let students in for free.
Unfortunately, the fair's last day was October 12, 1981, but we will always have these happy memories.
Tichnor Brothers, Publisher/Wikimedia Commons
Over 400,000 people attended the fair in its last year, but that wasn't enough to save the event. In 1986, the Danbury Fair shopping mall was built in its place.

Take another walk down memory lane with this nostalgic footage from the 1971 Danbury Fair:

Did you go to the Danbury State Fair as a kid? If so, we want to hear all about it! Share your memories with us in the comments below.

For even more nostalgia, check out these 8 places in Connecticut that we will never stop missing.

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