ALTAMONT — This year’s Altamont Fair, which closed on Sunday, Aug. 21, was a success, pulling more attendees than in years’ prior, organizer Pat Canaday told The Enterprise this week. 

Canaday declined to give specific attendance figures, but said that the “six days of good weather really blessed us. It makes a difference when it doesn’t rain.”

Events like Sea Lion Splash, the demolition derby, and the dog show were all crowd-pleasers, she said, and the ceremony on Wednesday where State Senator Michelle Hinchey inducted Altamont Navy veteran Steven Oliver into the Senate’s Veterans Hall of Fame was a “highlight of the week.”

“Everyone was out smiling and having a wonderful time …,” she said. “We were really pleased with the results.”

Adding to the excitement in a less positive manner was a pair of arrests, of a mother and son, made on Sunday night, Aug. 21, the last day of the six-day fair.

“There was a fist-fight in the parking lot and … our staff, our security went over to address the situation and our staff was tased, allegedly, by the mother,” Canaday said. 

According to a press release from the New York State Police, Angelique E. Anaya, 37, of Schenectady, was arrested for two counts of second-degree assault, a felony, and also for two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, while her son, Sacario E. Anaya, 19, of Rotterdam, was arrested for third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

“Both suspects exited their vehicle and assaulted multiple people,” the release said, adding that Angelique Anaya “used a taser during the fight.”

She was arraigned at Westerlo Town Court while her son was issued an appearance ticket returnable to Altamont Village Court on Sept. 28.

One change the organizers had made from previous years was withholding printed programs in favor of fixed, large-scale maps scattered around the grounds along with QR codes that people could scan with their phones to allow on-the-go reference. 

Canaday had told The Enterprise before the fair opened that she was curious to know how that would be received, and said this week that they’ll likely increase the number of maps next year and possibly offer some amount of printed handouts.

“Not bad for the first effort,” she said, “and the nice part was that we didn’t have to pick up thousands of pieces of paper across the fairgrounds.”

With the fair now over, Canaday said she and the team are looking ahead to the Scottish Games on Sept. 3, and the Capital District Apple and Wine Festival after that, on Sept. 17 and 18, as well as the return of Hollowed Harvest on Sept. 23.