Fall Fairs — Rides, Displays… and Goats!

Fall Fairs — Rides, Displays… and Goats! - theHumm September 2024

By David Hinks

The theme of the 2024 Middleville Fair is “Goats”. I love the simplicity of that theme. It evokes country, it evokes the spirit of local rural folks, it connects me with my roots. Having grown up on a dairy farm in southwestern Ontario and having shown my Holstein heifer at the local fall fair as a 4-H club member, I take a special interest in what the farm kids are going through at fair time. I have been intrigued by the sheep shows at the Middleville Fair — those docile creatures seem so much more trainable than my stubborn Holstein ever was!

For insight into the psyche of goats, I had a conversation with Baker Bob, whose wife Margie happens to have four pet goats. His observation was that goats are very independent thinkers who believe fervently that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

The Middleville Fair is very much a traditional agricultural-based fair. The President’s Message notes that the “fair provides education and appreciation for the rural agricultural lifestyle to our community and visitors”. Highlights include displays of heritage machinery and demonstrations of their operation, live entertainment, homemade lunch and a turkey dinner (always a highlight for me!), a food booth, games and activities for young and old, as well as horticulture, homecraft, woodworking and antique competitions. Gates open at 10am on Saturday, September 21. Admission is $5 with children six and under getting in free.

The Almonte Fair is now held in early September. This year’s theme is “Everything Old is New Again”. The fair runs from 2–10pm on Friday, September 6, from 9am to 10pm on Saturday September 7 (Gate 2 will open at 8am for livestock); and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, September 8. Admission is $30 for all ages, except for children shorter than 36 inches, who get in free. Admission includes all shows, entertainment and midway rides.

The Almonte Fair features a wide range of attractions and events, including livestock exhibits, horse shows, a midway with rides and games, live entertainment, and a variety of food vendors. Also available are educational programming for children and adults, providing opportunities to learn more about agriculture, horticulture, and other related topics.

Got some energy left after visiting the fair? Head on over to the 29th annual Almonte Fibrefest. No, this is not a celebration of Bran Flakes. It is a fantastic celebration of the fibre arts that takes place on September 7 and 8. Local guilds demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Finished fibre goods and other textile-related supplies from across the province will be available. For more details, check out the website of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum mvtm.ca , or grab your tickets from Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).

One of the largest fairs in our area is the Carp Fair. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Best”, and the fair takes place from September 26–29. The fair aims to acknowledge what characterizes us as a community by being a platform for local artisans, farmers and businesses to showcase their work during a weekend full of family fun, great music and amazing shows. Highlights for me are the many displays of operating antique machinery and the Heavy Horse shows. For more information, visit carpfair.ca .

Most Fall Fairs are run by Agricultural Societies. For example, the Almonte Fair is run by the North Lanark Agricultural Society, and the Middleville Fair by the Middleville Agricultural Society.

In Ontario, Agricultural Societies are governed by the Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act, which established the Ontario Agricultural Fairs Association (OAAS). It represents over 210 agricultural societies across the province and is governed by a home-craft director and an agricultural director from each of the fifteen districts in the province. Its mission is to act as a resource and a united voice for its members by providing leadership through education and communication to encourage them to promote agriculture and a rural way of life in Ontario. Many Agricultural Societies have a close working relationship with Horticultural Societies.

Agricultural societies are seen as being community organizations mandated with preserving and celebrating the rural way of life in Ontario. To maintain their status under the Act, they must provide the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) with an annual return. In that return they must show how they encouraged interest and improvement in agriculture.

An annual Fall Fair is a major activity for Agricultural Societies. Each fair is different, and to guarantee their survival they must attract paying customers. Many fairs place more and more reliance on demolition derbies, tractor pulls, midways, beer tents and big-name entertainers to pull in customers. Others try to stay closer to their mandate and roots emphasizing local agriculture, activities of 4-H members, antique shows featuring farm equipment from early farm days, horse shows, flower and vegetable shows and educational activities for young visitors. There is a lot of choice, and there are many fairs within easy driving distance. See you at the fair!

Anthony (Tony) Belcourt — Reconciliation Through Art - theHumm September 2024

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

Tony Belcourt’s life is an ongoing saga of fighting for Indigenous rights and improved relations among and between Indigenous peoples and their neighbours — the rest of us. At the tender age of 81 he continues to fight racism, prejudice and myths, and he is armed with a personality that exudes hope and optimism. He is a born salesman. Society should be grateful that he is an intrinsically good man dedicated to improving the world we share......

Fall Fairs — Rides, Displays… and Goats! - theHumm September 2024