Westport Fair Honored With Heartfelt Family Tribute

The Westport Fair has long been a staple of summer on the SouthCoast, bringing together families, volunteers and visitors from across the region for a celebration of agricultural roots and hometown pride.

This year, amid the sound of tractor pulls and the smell of chicken barbecue, the Fair Committee received something truly special: a letter from the Wood family that struck a deeper chord.

A Letter That Touched the Fair Committee

Carolyn L. Wood and Richard J. Wood, siblings with deep ties to the fair’s origins, sent a personal note to the committee expressing not only their appreciation for this year’s event, but their admiration for the legacy the fair has carried forward for 70 years.

“First of all, congratulations on another outstanding event,” the letter begins. “The tractor pulling events, the various competitions in raising and showing farm animals, the chicken barbecue on Saturday, and the crafts building were all integral parts of the original fair concept.”

READ MORE: Westport Fair Volunteers Deserve Thanks, Not Complaints

The letter went beyond simple praise, however; it was a reflection of family pride and hometown history.

A Family’s Deep Roots in Fair History

The Wood siblings shared that their sister Pat served as the first-ever secretary of the Westport Fair back in 1955, just after graduating from Westport High School. Pat went on to attend Bridgewater State College and later was a teacher for 33 years.

“Our dad, Harold S. Wood, and Tom McGarr would be so proud that the committee has maintained these traditions for the past 70 years,” the letter reads.

The multi-generational impact the fair has had on the community, and the love many families still carry for it, has not gone unnoticed.

A Gift to Keep the Tradition Alive

Along with their letter, Carolyn and Richard enclosed commemorative checks as a gesture of appreciation and support for the fair’s continued success.

“We wish you continued success for many years to come,” they closed, signing off with warm regards.

For the volunteers who put their heart and soul into planning the Westport Fair each year, this note served as a beautiful reminder of why they do what they do: not for money or recognition, but to carry on a tradition that means the world to so many.