Book excerpt: The first Danbury Fair was held under a borrowed tent in 1869. Over the next 112 years, the fair expanded to a ten-day event, earning a national reputation for its themed villages, giant figures, grandstand shows and wildly popular stock car races. The twelve formal venues for music and entertainment on the fairground included the World of Mirth Theater and the Orange Bowl Stadium. Under the management of oil magnate John W. Leahy, the fair retained its great hometown appeal as city dwellers flocked to the fair by the thousands. Venture back to the autumn days of zany ostrich races and Zembruski's polka music with Andrea Zimmermann as she explores the beloved bygone tradition of the Great Danbury State Fair.