Thanks for the Fair!

Photo: KG - Travis Grove pulls with his grandfather's tractor at the Fair

Photo: KG – Travis Grove pulls with his grandfather’s tractor at the Fair

For the first time in many years, the Millbrook Fair was occurred under sunny skies with no deluges of rain, leaving the fairgrounds clean and dry, and participants and organizers smiling.

The Gates opened for the 167th annual event on Thursday afternoon with discounted rates for midway events and games and the first of 3 truck and tractor pull events. On Children’s Day the Agricultural society put on a great set of displays for the local children in grades 1 to 3, who rotated through a wide variety of exhibits including a milking station with a model cow to milk, a poultry exhibit, the popular petting zoo with a kangaroo to pet, an ORCA presentation about invasive species and a tractor quiz hosted by Mike Lang, among others. The main animal shows took place on Saturday, with English and Western horse performances and beef cattle competitions in the morning, and the Gymkhana Horse show offering their skills the following day.

The parade this year was smaller than usual, partly over confusion due to the incomplete construction program along the main portion of the route through along King Street. Entertainment was provided every evening, with Rye Street in the beer tent on Friday and The Keene Country Boys on Saturday. The events wound up on Sunday afternoon with the ever popular Demolition Derby which lacked the traditional mud trajectories from the careening vehicles.

This annual event requires year-long planning provided by a small group of dedicated volunteers at our Agricultural Society, who deserve a round of applause. As members of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies, they provide educational opportunities like those at the fair, as well as the chance to celebrate our agricultural heritage and our rural way of life, while enjoying some artery-clogging delicacies like funnel cakes and pogos that are only available at events like these. Congratulations on another successful event, and we look forward to next year! KG

Tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply