Five Things You Should Know About the Rotary Fair

The annual Hillsborough Rotary Fair opens today at 6 p.m. in the field adjoining the Lowe's Home Improvement store parking lot at the Hillsborough Promenade. Hours of the fair are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except for Sunday, when the fair will be open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

The fair is a popular draw for Hillsborough and neighboring communities, but there's a lot that goes on behind the neon lights and spinning rides. Here are a few things you may not know about the fair, provided by the event's chairman, Anthony Franchini, of the Hillsborough Rotary Club:

1. An average of 12,000 to 15,000 people visit the fair each day.
    Weeknights—especially early in the week—are certainly on the lower end, but by the weekend, the upper limits may be stretched. That corresponds to thousands of hamburgers, gobs of cotton candy and funnel cakes each day, too!

2. Fair proceeds are donated to local charities.
   The fair is the Rotary Club's biggest fundraising event, with the proceeds being donated to more than 20 different local non-profit and student organizations. Among the groups are Hillsborough High School cheerleaders and the Robotics team, Project Graduations, Operation Shoebox, Somerset Valley YMCA, the ARC of Somerset County, and the Hillsborough Township Social Services Department.
   And did you know every third grade student in Hillsborough and Manville receives a dictionary from the Rotary Club, thanks in large part, to the fair?

3. It takes about 40 volunteers to keep the fair going every night.
    Volunteers keep the fair going, from the information stands, food and game stands to dozens of other tasks. Many of the volunteers are Rotary Club members, some are brought in to bolster the volunteer corps by groups, such as Operation Shoebox, which help out.

4. Sponsors help keep the fair an inexpensive outing.
    Attending the fair only requires visitors to bring money to spend on the rides, games and foods they want to purchase—there's no admission to the fair, thanks to the 25 sign sponsors and 23 vendor spaces rented, which also help add to the fair's proceeds for local charities. 

5. There's more to enjoy at the fair this year. 
   The fair will also feature demonstrations by various martial arts schools, Zumba class instructions and dance demonstrations, and DJ-hosted music every night. 
   Friday night, FM 101.5 radio's "Ray the Prize Guy" will be onsite at the fair giving away prizes and gifts.  
   And the Rotary Club will be selling tickets for its raffle for a Harley Davidson Wide Glide Motorcycle, valued at $15,600. Tickets are $25 each, and the drawing will be held at 9 p.m. Saturday.