This year’s Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine was full of sunny fall weather and fun. The fair is run by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, which hosts numerous other events during the year to celebrate rural living and promote organic agriculture and sustainable practices. The Common Ground Fair has live music, fresh produce, tasty food, farm animals, and local vendors. Amidst all the merriment, many Colby College students attended the fair and some even volunteered to help run it.
Colby College students Mia Dinunzio `28 and Mimi Brick `28 are among two who went this year, and both shopped at the fair. Brick purchased some art prints for her wall and a bottle of maple syrup from one of her past professors’ stand. Dinunzio got what she described as a pottery to-go mug. She said, “It has dogs on it, and I already have been asked if I made it. My answer is, ‘No, I got it from the Common Ground Fair.’”
This was Dinunizo’s first time at the Common Ground Fair, but this was not her first time at a fair. “I have been going to fairs since I was little,” she said. “A lot of the ones I used to go to were like craft fairs in Chatham, [Massachusetts] on the Cape, so I really enjoy getting to see all of the small businesses and support them.” Brick, however, went to the Common Ground fair last year, making this her second time going.
Along with the vendors, another popular aspect of the fair is the food. Brick had a pulled pork sandwich with maple barbeque sauce. “I had it last year,” she said, “and it was really good.”
Both years, she also went to the blueberry crisp stall right next to where she got her sandwich. Brick commented that the blueberry crisp was just as delicious.
Dinunzio enjoyed most of the food at the fair, but a fish taco did not meet her expectations: “Pretty pricey […] I will add. I got a very small $10 fish taco…Unfortunately, I think the taco was mostly coleslaw over fish, so that was kind of disappointing.”
Dinunzio did not let this fish taco ruin her experience, though, as she revamped her spirits with a tasty latte from a pop up directly next to the taco stand.
In addition to her latte, Dinunzio also enjoyed the pickles on a stick: “I went two days back to back. In total, I consumed four pickles on a stick. Most days I got two, so I was filled with electrolytes.”
Dinunzio said that while she was waiting to check out with one of the vendors, she overheard a man who said he came all the way from Rhode Island to visit the fair. This resonated with her; the efforts that people from all over the country went through to attend was her favorite part of the fair. Dinunzio said, “I think I just really liked getting to see the vastness of how many people came.”
Regarding what she enjoyed about the fair, Mimi said, “It was just nice to be outside, and it felt like a lot of like-minded people just appreciating local businesses.”
The Common Ground Fair is a fun time to eat food, listen to music, and enjoy the Maine outdoors. If you missed it this year, do not fret. The fair will be back again in 2026. Until then, mark your calendars or even check out some of the other Maine fairs still happening this 2025 season!
~ Haley Hegarty `28
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