Visitors to the 174th Millbrook Fair were treated to comfortable temperatures and clear skies for the duration of the event.
Fair Board members commented that this was the first time in recent memory that track preparation required adding water instead of removing it.
On Thursday, roughly 300 students from Millbrook South Cavan and North Shore Public Schools attended Children’s Day, where organizers had set up eight “Places of Discovery”, all staffed by experts sharing their knowledge with a few fun activities sprinkled in for good measure. Cavan Monaghan Firefighters were on hand to talk to students about fire safety and fire escape plans, Durham Farm Connection provided extensive displays describing livestock and crop production and representatives from Sunderland Co-op offered an interactive presentation about cow digestion. There was also a horse drawn wagon ride provided by Earl Cochrane, a petting zoo, and a tractor pull where students provided the horse power. On Thursday evening a Demo Cross event was well attended by participants as well as spectators.
On Friday evening the festivities began with the introduction of this year’s Fair Ambassadors. Three of them were selected this year, including a new position; a mini Ambassador earned by Millbrook South Cavan student Sawyer Carveth. Her responsibilities were limited to the weekend, when she handed out some prizes to contest winners. The Junior Ambassador and Senior Fair Ambassador Carly Croft hold their titles for two years, representing the community at local events year round. Carly will also attend a provincial conference in Toronto in February.
Truck and pulls on Friday evening brought lots of noise and excitement and included multiengine tractors which haven’t made an appearance at the fair for a couple years. Live music returned to the beer barn, which featured music by Kingston band Ambush.
Action kicked off on Saturday with the parade, with prizes awarded by MPP Laurie Scott and MP Jamie Schmale. The Beef Show was one of the largest in many years, featuring 34 exhibitors showing 132 head of cattle. The Supreme Champion Female for the Charolais breed was won by an entry from Steve Burgomaster and shown by Tyler. Steve’s wife Helen has served for many years on the Millbrook Fair Board, so they were pleased to have a local farm receive this level of recognition. At the grandstand, 35 Antique tractors participated in the antique tractor pull on Saturday afternoon. The action continued with Redneck Riders who brought back a crowd favourite competition: Lawn tractor racing. The evening began with more Truck and Tractor Pulls and later in the evening, rising country music star Braden Simon provided live music in the beer barn, entertaining a sold out crowd.
The action continued on Sunday where the weekend activities with the Open Horse show where the Ray Lowery Memorial Champion Halter Horse was awarded to Nicole Robertson and Kenley Harvey secured the Ray Storey Memorial Best Overall Horse Person. The festivities concluded with roughly 50 cars smashing it up in the popular Impact Motorsports Demolition Derby.
The Millbrook Fair is made possible thanks to a great team of volunteers who pitch in and get things done every year, backed by generous sponsors who shoulder some of the costs. As this year’s fair was winding up, Fair Board members were already discussing plans for next year, which will mark their 175th Fair. They plan to celebrate the milestone in style. See you next year!