This year’s Erie County Fair Ultimate Fairgoer has been attending the Erie County Fair every year since the mid 1950’s. Judy Wilder of Hamburg has been selected by the Erie County Fair as the individual who is most “passionate and enthusiastic” about the Fair.
Judy has been an active member of the Fair as a volunteer with the Food Bank of WNY by selling Johnsonville brats or collecting food donations at the gate. Her dedication and participation doesn’t stop there. She has taken 1,600 pictures of the Fair, and this is only counting her digital photos. Sharing her love of the Fair, Judy posts her Fair photos on the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Facebook page through which she reaches 15,200 people each month. She also promotes the Fair at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee meetings, a true proponent of the Fair. Judy has also shared her photography with Fairgoers by entering photos into Creative Arts, a tradition she has maintained since the early 1980’s. Judy’s passion for Fair photography has reached new heights through her photo flights over the Fair, gaining an aerial view of her favorite place.
Established in 2005, the Erie County Fair’s Ultimate Fairgoer honor is bestowed each year on an individual who is not only passionate and enthusiastic about the Erie County Fair, but actively promotes and shares their love with family, friends and the community. The chosen candidate is the greatest Fair Fan who lives and breathes the Fair. This year an astonishing number of nominations were received for the Ultimate Fairgoer award accompanied by booklets, scrapbooks and more.
Wilder was officially presented her Ultimate Fairgoer honors during a ceremony outside of the Fair’s McKinley Gate on Opening Day, Wednesday August 8th.