Lewisboro Library Fair is Sept. 20 at Onatru Park

Donations, volunteers and venders sought

Onatru Park

By NEAL RENTZ

It has been an institution in Lewisboro for more than six decades and the tradition will continue next month.

The 64th annual Lewisboro Library Fair is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Onatru Farm Park, 99 Elmwood Road in South Salem.  The event will be held rain or shine. 

Some of the features are book and attic treasure sales, food trucks, music, a dunk tank, car show, vendors’ market, Kids Zone, and a silent auction and beer garden. 

The only year the event was not held was 2020 due to the pandemic, Library Director Cindy Rubino noted last week.

The aim of the fair is to raise money for the library’s operating account, Rubino said. “As an association library, we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization,” she noted. “The town of Lewisboro gives us approximately 70% of our operating fund annually. We must raise the remaining 30%. The fair is our largest fundraising event.”

Rubino said she did not have a total figure of how much the fair has raised over the years. What has been raised has generally been used for operating expenses such as programming, purchasing library materials and keeping the library open every day of the week, she said. In addition, fair funds were used for the renovation of the library in 2014, she said. “We hope to match our last year’s profit of $44,000,” she said. 

Rubino explained why she felt the fair has been such a success.

“It is a wonderful homegrown community event in the beautiful setting of Onatru Farm,” she said. “It really brings people together with something for everyone.”

Rubio thanked the volunteers for making the fair possible.

“I always say that you meet the nicest people volunteering for the fair,” she said.

Rubino said about 100 residents volunteer to set up and run the fair on the day of the event. The fair is an opportunity for students to earn community service hours required for school and college applications, she said.

“The fair is an important outreach event for the library to help inform our community about the great services and programs that the library offers,” Rubino said. “We also allow community groups to have outreach tables to get the word out about their mission and need for volunteers.”

“The Lewisboro Library Fair is the largest single-day event in South Salem and really reflects everything our town has to offer,” fair coordinator Nina Andrews said. “It is a true showcase of our community. It is important to the library not only because it serves as our biggest fundraiser, but also because it reminds residents that the library is an essential asset, providing value to families and individuals alike.”

Staging for the event is a yearlong process, she said. 

“Planning the fair begins almost immediately after each year’s event, starting with selecting a new date,” she said. “There are smaller tasks that happen throughout the winter months, but the major pieces really come together from June through September.”

“Other than I, the fair is run almost entirely by volunteers,” Andrews said. “Each department is led by dedicated individuals who invest a tremendous amount of time, energy, and effort to make the fair a success. Their hard work is truly the reason this event runs so smoothly year after year.”

Volunteers, venders still sought

Andrews said the library is seeking additional fair volunteers.

“Volunteering for the fair is a meaningful way to give back to your community while supporting lifelong learning, literacy and connection,” she said. “Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books — they are safe, welcoming spaces where people of all ages come to learn, grow and connect.”

There are vendor opportunities for the upcoming fair. Andrews said. Each 10-foot-by-10-foot space is $100, “making it easy for local businesses and artisans to participate and showcase their offerings,” Andrews said.

The library is asking for donated baked goods for the fair bake sale, Andrews said, adding that there will be chocolate chip cookies and local produce competitions. 

Andrews said the fair has long been important for her. 

“As a lifetime South Salem local, the fair has always been a cherished part of my childhood and now I get to experience it in a whole new way,” she said. “My favorite part of this role is seeing the community come together. Bringing almost every part of our town into one event is truly heartwarming. Being part of creating that final vision and helping people connect makes this position incredibly special.”

Books and ‘attic treasures’also sought

The library is seeking donations of books and “attic treasures” in clean, high quality and gently used condition. The final donation day is Saturday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Onatru Farm Park.

Special book sales are slated for Sept .17, from 5 to 9 p.m. for residents only and the event is free; Sept.18 from 5 to 9 p.m. and the event is free for residents and $25 for nonresidents; Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free admission for all; and Sept. 20 throughout the fair day and Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free entry and free books.

Special attic treasure sales are scheduled for Sept. 17, from 5 to 8 p.m., for fair volunteers only; on Sept. 18, from 5 to 9 p.m., with access to all attic treasures for VIP ticket holders and access to only sporting goods for non-VIP ticket holders; on Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. free for VIP ticket holders and $25 for non-ticket holders; and Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the treasurers available for big discounts. 

VIP tickets, which give early access to the attic treasures barn on the Thursday and Friday before the Fair, VIP priority parking, two drink tickets, two free raffle tickets and two free book coupons are $75 each. 

For tickets, volunteering and more information, visit lewisborolibrary.org/library-fair-vip/ or lewisborolibrary.org.