Devolin Column
(Aug 11/05)

AGRICULTURAL FAIRS ARE THE HEART OF SMALL COMMUNITIES

As summer ripens into fall and the countryside readies itself for the gathering beauty of autumn, many towns across this riding are once again preparing for numerous Fairs and Agricultural Exhibitions.

In most cases, it is the local agricultural society that hosts and operates these multi-day events. And while Fall Fairs have always been one of their major functions, agricultural societies also pursue the advancement of agriculture by many other activities such as the buying and selling of seed and keeping of breeding livestock.

For many people who grew up in rural Ontario, fairs are as much a part of fall as the kids going back to school after Labour Day, and the leaves turning colour later in September. This riding boasts many traditional fall fairs – many with well over 100 years of history – as well as numerous other fall festivals, making for a great excuse to get out for a drive in the country in the fall.

In my riding, the Millbrook Fair is the only community that gets going in early summer with their Fair in June. The busy fair season started last weekend with the 117th annual Fenelon Falls Fair. This weekend, the Haliburton County Fair will be held in Minden with special events like a wine making competition, demolition derby and a petting zoo provided by the Haliburton Farmer’s Association.

Here is a list of more upcoming Fairs and Exhibitions across this riding;

· 24th Annual Carden Fair
Friday August 26 to Sunday August 28

· 134th Annual Kinmount Fair
Friday September 2 to Sunday September 4

· 157th Annual Oakwood Fair
Friday September 9 to Sunday September 11

· 154th Annual Sunderland Fair
Monday September 13 to Wednesday September 14

· 152nd Annual Beaverton Fair
Friday September 16 to Sunday September 18

· 151st Annual Lindsay Central Exhibition
Wednesday September 21 to Sunday September 25

· 147th Annual Bobcaygeon Fair
Thursday September 29 to Saturday October 1

The history of Agricultural Societies and Fairs was started by John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada's first Lieutenant-Governor. His desire was to see the largely unsettled colony of Upper Canada become an agricultural nation. In his opinion, the future of Ontario rested with farming. To work toward this goal, he helped organize the Agricultural Society of Upper Canada in 1792. These humble beginnings made possible our present day agricultural societies and fairs. Settlers took their love of farming and fairs with them to the new frontiers in Northern Ontario and Western Canada.

I recognize that many of these events continue today because of the hard work and dedication of many volunteers. For most of the year, Fair and Exhibition volunteers give freely their time, skills, creativity and energy for the benefit of people and communities – helping to make Canada one of the best places in the world in which to live. 

The importance of volunteers and voluntary organizations to our quality of life cannot be overstated. I hope that all our community Fairs and Exhibitions continue for many years to come, and I’d like to say thank you to those who help make them such a success.