Patrons of the Maryland State Fair react to being dropped 120 feet from the top of the Super Shot carnival ride on Saturday, September 4, 2010 in Timonium, MD. The Super Shot was one of the shortest rides at the fair, but it was also considered the best ride by many of the patrons who rode the ride.
The Maryland State Fair dates back to 1878 when a group of businessmen held what was then called the Lutherville fair on a small four-acre site. All though the fair was successful, the fair eventually was displaced because of the Northern Central Railway being extended through the fairgrounds. However, this set back did not discourage the group. The grouped moved forward and in December 1878 the group incorporated to become The Agrigucltural Society of Baltimore County.
On September 9, 1879, the newly formed corporation opened the fair at its new location, a 37-acres plot of land that was located off of the York Turnpike (York Road). At the time, the land was referred to as “the Timonium Estate”. Today, we refer to this location as the Timonium Fair Grounds.
Over the years, the fair has grown tremendously and many additions and changes have been made. The most recent major change came in 1999 when organizers of the fair could no longer squeeze any additional entertainment or events into the all ready jam packed 10-day schedule. Therefore, an eleventh day was added.
Today, the The Maryland State Fair takes up over 100 acres, and each year more than 500,000 people visit the fair also known as “The 11 Best Days of Summer.”
More Carnival Photos
The Maryland State Fair – Images by Anthony Washington
