On Wednesday, July 19, Southport Island was buzzing with activity. The Southport United Methodist Church was hosting its annual Country Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the church and the town hall across the street.

The town hall was full of diners enjoying the huge lobster rolls that were being made, fresh, in the kitchen, by Kathy Barter and her mom, Betty Goulette. They were working steadily to keep up with the demand for the coveted lunch. There were chicken salad rolls and hot dogs available too, all served with chips and beverages.

Peggy Stengel was in the kitchen, too, cutting up the endless display of scrumptious-looking cakes, all made by and donated by local bakers.

There were several tables laden with a variety of homemade cookies. The “Cookie Walk” is probably the second reason so many people come to the fair each summer, just after the lobster rolls. For $5 people can fill a coffee can with a choice of cookies.

“Cookie Ladies” Sue McLeod, Nancy Harriman and Barbara Widmeyer said they had gone through more than 50 dozen cookies by noon. “We had 10 big trays with two or three different kinds of cookies on them at 9,” Harriman said. “They were almost gone by 10:30.”

Across the road, at the church, was a sale with items including Heisey glassware and fine china and silver from an estate collection, along with a collection of children’s books, and George Hamilton, “without the tan and the money,” was on the side lawn with garden and other items.

Another tradition of the annual fair, a silent auction, was held on the front porch of the town hall.

The fair has been going for 40-plus years. And it’s still going strong.