Durham Fair 2013: A Delicious Calorie Binge – William Molski '17

From September 26-29, the 94th annual Durham Fair was held in the small town of Durham, Connecticut.  Although Durham’s population is just over 6,600 residents, over 200,000 people travelled from all over the state, making this year’s fair the most successful in over a decade.  While the picture perfect weather, state record-breaking 1766.5lb pumpkin, and new elephant experience show surely drew in crowds, I attended for a different reason: THE FOOD.

Not only does the Durham Fair provide live musical entertainment, agriculture and art exhibits, rides, and more; it also provides visitors with a wide array of deliciously unhealthy treats to choose from.  The variety of food available at the Durham Fair is endless.  There is everything from traditional carnival food like caramel apples, cotton candy, and fried dough to unexpected surprises such as Polish platters (highly recommended), gargantuan turkey legs, and clam chowder served in a bread bowl (also extremely delicious).

As a Middletown resident of 18 years, I have driven to Durham to enjoy this annual event a fair number of times.  By now, I have learned that, to make the most out of the fair, you should starve yourself at least 24 hours ahead of time in order to be as hungry as possible when you get there.  This allows you to fill your stomach with as much potentially digestively-disagreeable foods as possible before you leave.

This year, I set a personal best with over 3,500 calories consumed in a matter of 5 hours or so.  The majority of my calorie intake was fulfilled upon entering the fair.  I hadn’t even walked 100 feet before I found myself with a blooming onion – a Durham fair favorite – in my hands.  The smell of the deep-fried lotus flower of perfection tantalized my senses and within minutes the entire plate was littered with mere crumbs to remind me what was once there.  This 2200-calorie beast was no match for me, as I left in search of more deep-fried goodness to satiate my hunger. 

Within 20 minutes, my brother, Max, who was my partner in this delectable adventure, scoped out a food truck specializing in fried desserts.  He ordered some deep fried brownie bites; I ordered the deep fried cheesecake with strawberry sauce.  After downing my 600-calorie pillow of cheesecakey goodness, I helped Max finish his slightly undercooked – in that good kind of gooey way – brownie bites.  Having neared the 3000-calorie mark, I needed to take a break for an hour or so.

As night began to fall, I somehow found more room in my stomach for the savory novelties of the Durham Fair.  I could not leave the fair without having some clam chowder served in a bread bowl.  I shared this personal favorite with my mom who is a connoisseur of soups, bisques, and such.  Her critique was that it was not thick enough, and I agreed wholeheartedly.  After meeting up with some friends to enjoy some of the questionably safe rollercoasters and rides, I ended my night with a chocolate covered banana and an ice cream cone: chocolate/vanilla swirl.  I left the Durham Fair that night with my stomach appeased, though a bit worried for the next few days.  Fair food will do that to you!  Determined to better my performance next year, I will begin training, and will happily anticipate the return of the Durham Fair again next fall.

- William ‘17

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