Wade Starkey, a scout with Scouts USA Troop 222, serves funnel cake Saturday during the Waterford Community Fair. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

WATERFORD — The Waterford Community Fair returned this weekend with strong attendance, community spirit and a focus on family traditions that have kept the event going for more than half a century.

Doug McCutcheon, vice president of the fair board, said turnout has been remarkable, with crowds topping 10,000 on Thursday alone.

“People are glad to see us be able to have something in a small community,” he said. “It’s going real well — not too many hiccups for the number of people showing up.”

The fair, now in its 59th year, features livestock sales, parades and a full slate of family-friendly activities. McCutcheon said about 230 hogs were shown and sold during the fair, with strong support from the community.

“They’re bringing a decent price, and there’s a lot of good support,” he said.

Charlotte and Eden Pottmeyer hide in the shade as they drink lemonade Saturday during the Waterford Community Fair. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Thursday’s parade brought out a large crowd despite the heat.

“There was a nice selection of different people in there,” McCutcheon said. “Other than the heat on that pavement, it went really well.”

Beyond the events and contests, organizers emphasized the fair’s deeper role in the community.

“It’s all about getting the community back together,” McCutcheon said. “A lot of people get to visit people they never see. It’s for family, for the kids. There are a lot of memories made here.”

That sense of tradition carries on through the younger generation as well. Scouts USA member Wade Starkey, a freshman who has been in scouting for four years, was among the volunteers helping at this year’s fair. Starkey said volunteering was a natural fit since his father serves on the fair board. When he wasn’t helping at the booth, he was spending time reconnecting with old friends.

From left, Sarah Schott and Aaron Greene order from Tate Offenberger at the Scouts USA Troop 222 booth during the Waterford Community Fair Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“My favorite part of the fair is just hanging out with friends I haven’t seen,” he said, adding that he plans to continue working toward his Eagle Scout rank.

Fairgoers said the event is as much about reconnecting as it is about rides or livestock shows. “It’s just tradition,” said Sara Flynn, a Belpre resident, who attended Saturday with her children. “I feel like I can run into old friends, classmates, that kind of stuff, it’s really just a big sort of family reunion.”

McCutcheon, who has served on the board for 28 years, said organizers are mindful of the fair’s roots and of the volunteers who made it what it is today.

“We try to run by what our forefathers taught us,” he said. “We’ve lost some good friends this past year who really helped with the fair’s success, and we took time Thursday night to say a few words about them.”

With events continuing through the weekend, McCutcheon said he hopes the fair continues to honor its traditions while bringing new generations together.

More than a hundred people gathered to watch the annual hog sale at the Waterford Community Fair Saturday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“As a child, I couldn’t wait for the Waterford Fair,” he said. “We try to pass that on.”

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.

From left, State Trooper J. Miller shares a conversation with Corey Offenberger and Kacie Schott at the Waterford Community Fair Saturday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)