FindandGoSeek

Had a great time yesterday with my 2 year old. She especially enjoyed the pony ride! The food was yummy & the people were friendly. Lots of strollers though so be prepared to be patient! :P

It's true that St. Albans is a community in transition, which is why we love going to the annual Maple Festival to support the city's positive growth. I have a middle-schooler and a toddler, so finding events with activities for both age groups is sometimes a challenge; however, the festival had something for each of us.

We arrived just as the first runners were finishing the Sap Run. We cheered on a few incoming marathoners and decided right then and there to begin training to run the 8.5 mile race ourselves next year!

Then we headed toward the fair rides, which my 11-year-old loved. We arrived just after opening and had the place to ourselves. The ride operators were friendlier than I've seen at other street fairs and the rides were in good repair. One of the attractions required two riders and my son waited just a few minutes until another similiarly-aged boy arrived alone and they went together.

By that time, the rides area was filling up and we headed back up to the vendors for lunch. It's true, you won't find any grilled salmon wraps with arugula here, but it's a fair -- you'll find fried fair food! I haven't had a corn dog in so long... it was a decadent treat.

Next, we stopped at the ponies, which was a favorite of my toddler. He also had a great time playing in the grass at the park while we ate lunch. We found sticks, rocks, and even a worm to explore. From there we went over to the maple exhibit hall to see the maple syrup and products contest. I'd love to see a stroller-accessible route to maple exhibits marked more clearly. I found a set of stairs down to the hall, but no elevator or sign directing us to one.

By that time, we had been at the fair for nearly three hours and the little one was wiped out. We decided to skip the parade (even though we had a choice viewing spot in front of the movie theater!) and bring him home for a nap instead. As other reviewers have said, this is not an upscale community, but the festival isn't a dirty or dangerous place. If you're looking for a down home street fair, give it a try....more

I agree with the previous posters. This fair has the opportunity to be a fun, educational, family event. Instead it is more like a bad country fair with dingy rides and bad food. I won't be returning any time soon.

If you like long lines for rides, THIS is the event for you! Or you can throw away $6.75 and get a quart of frys!

I have to agree with wallabear - it was kind of disappointing. There wasn't really much to do, the park was kind of grungy, and the food options were limited to "mostly fried" or "all the way fried." I wouldn't rank this as a top kid-friendly venue.

I was hoping for an exciting and entertaining time but was a little creeped out by the dingy atmosphere. I can see how it can be a fun event for the kiddos but don't leave them out of your sight.

My favorite part, however is the pancake breakfast and the pretzel stand...yum!